Aftermath: The Final Breath
by The Last Element
Summary: Cerberus, the idea that never dies, kidnaps a barely breathing Shepard from the remains of the Citadel. The only witnesses; a group of scavengers. And Shepard's only hope. They must accept a mission greater than themselves and recruit Shepard's old crew mates for one last mission to save the galaxy's greatest hero before Cerberus can use her to revive it's greatest threat. PostME3
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE - Lost and Found**

_"Cerberus isn't just an organisation or the people behind it. Cerberus is an idea; that idea is not so easily destroyed." - The Illusive Man_

* * *

The chill in the air stung the soul and rippled the skin as it carried with it the taste of death and hopelessness. Though this was no longer the case in this cycle with the Reapers destroyed the damage that had been done would never disappear. The feeling swam through the air and pushed its way through Raythe'Maetix vas Astrea's filter causing him to shiver uncontrollably. In fear he quickly checked the air levels in his suit and upon finding them normal breathed a sigh of relief. The debris of the Citadel crunched beneath his boots as the light from the end of his assault rifle lit up and destroyed and terror ridden halls ahead of him. His omni tool began to glow in the darkness alerting him to an incoming transmission.

"Captain," Raythe answered sternly as he halted in his journey through the ruins.

"_Anything yet_?" Captain Janix's voice vibrated through the transmitter almost hiding the Salarian tone.

"Just a few pieces I can use to patch up Astrea sir. Nothing of any real consequence though. But I found a few pieces of synthetic material for my work as well."

"_Then this trip hasn't been entirely fruitless. I've found some things as well. We should_-"

Janix found himself rudely cut short as they heard another crew member patch into the comm channel.

"_Sir_!" It was Zharia; her asari tone stern as usual but still holding the same sensual appeal that most asari voices did. "_Zhorn has found something_," she announced referring to their team's beloved varren.

"_Put it in your satchel and continue on Lieutenant_," Janix commanded, his tone expressing quite thoroughly his level of annoyance.

_"Sir please don't take me for a fool. I think there's someone else here. He's_- " Her transmission cut short leaving the other two in silence for a moment.

_"Zharia?"_

"Captain she's gone dark. I'm not too far from her position," Raythe offered.

_"Neither am I Gunnery Chief. We'll make our way there. Double time."_

"Understood."

His feet slammed across the floor in a speedy silence that even he was surprised he could achieve. Being quiet seemed trivial in a place so dead but the fact of the matter was is that it was necessary. They weren't supposed to be on the Citadel. No one was. No one was even sure if they would rebuild off of the remnants of this one or build a new one entirely. All the races were busy worrying about their home worlds and making sure that they were surviving the aftermath. Having a place to talk politics at the moment seemed very trivial. However, the abandonment of the Citadel did leave its ruins ripe for the picking. There wasn't much left but what was salvageable was valuable. There was no guarantee that other pirates and scavengers with the same idea hadn't shown up at the same time or that they wouldn't shoot on sight. The Alliance or C-sec might be patrolling the area as well; everyone was still pretty paranoid that something might have survived.

He narrowly dodged the decayed bodies of humans that had accumulated during the Reaper attack and splashed through puddles of what he hoped was oil. The rich blue of his suit was slowly staining with dark liquids; the silver of his belts and chest plate pulled against his matching hood as his body moved lithely through the narrow passages. His eyes were constantly aware behind the light blue of his helmet visor for any slight movement that might be his crew or whatever they had spotted. Darting over a crumpled opening he dashed into a new room that was lucky if it could be called that anymore. It was probably the most shattered of all the rooms he'd come across. He wasn't even sure how this area was identified on his schematics. Suddenly something latched onto the back of his hood and he found himself pressed to the wall beside Zharia.

"Stay in cover," the asari hissed quietly at him.

She wore her old Asari Commando uniform as usual with her Black Widow sniper rifle secured to her back. A small breather covered her mouth; delicate but effect against the atmosphere. Her skin was a paler blue than he'd seen on most asari features but it blended beautifully with her natural lavender markings. Half of her face was tattooed with thick black tribal lines that traced her features and brought attention to the pure white of her synthetic eye which had been rendered useless since the fall of the Reapers. Her other eye was a dark blue that pierced him with a harsh look that he had come to know as concern.

He said nothing in return but nodded at her and she signalled for him to look ahead. He saw the Zhorn pressed to the floor behind his own cover quivering in anticipation. Zhorn looked similar to most varren lean and muscular in build. His coat was as black as night that tapered into a soft white at his underbelly and carried simple tan tiger stripes. Zharia gave him a fierce gaze and her eyes darted over the wall of debris signalling Raythe not to be an idiot and to look past the varren. Slowly and cautiously he glanced over and it took everything he had not to cry out in terror.

Cerberus. He thought they had disbanded once the Illusive Man disappeared but they were here and in a solid force. Assault troopers were scrounging through the piles with such purpose that it was easy to tell they were here for something very specific. And very important.

Amidst their masses a woman strode through overseeing their actions with a look of contempt written across her scarred and pale face. Rich brunette hair was swept around her sharp features in a curled bob. He couldn't tell what colour her eyes were from this distance but he could make out a pointed nose and thin unimpressed lips. Her armor, though still donned with all the Cerberus colours, carried more black than white unlike the others.

"Keep searching," she commanded. "She's here somewhere."

She? They were looking for someone. Had they lost one of their team in this chaos? Perhaps a captive had escaped. But that still didn't explain why they were here in the first place. Something brought them to the Citadel.

"Commander I've found something!"

The attention was drawn to a lone soldier who began rapidly pulling debris from a large pile to the far right of the room. Cerberus soldiers flocked to the area blocking their view and Raythe tried to raise himself to see better but a hand clamped firmly on his shoulder holding him in place. He looked up to see Janix taking the look for him. Even behind the rich burgundy of his skin and the seemingly misplaced white and brown markings Raythe could make out the furrow of Janix's brow bone as he considered the situation. The salarian was a good Captain; he would risk taking the bullet himself before letting a member of his crew put themselves in danger. He wore simple white Kassa Fabrication armor with grey Hadne add ons and his breather was similar to Zharia's allowed Raythe to see the frown that creased the salarian's features. Janix crouched back down and his team leaned in close.

"There's a hand," he said simply.

Zharia frowned. "They found whoever it was they were looking for," she stated obviously.

The question was who. Janix shook his head. "The hand had bits of armor...but it wasn't Cerberus armor. It looked like N7 armor."

Zharia frowned. N7...Alliance soldier, human. Captain Anderson's body had already been recovered and buried after the war. According to rumor no one else had made it onto the citadel except...

"By the goddess," Zharia breathed in awe as the Cerberus operatives pulled the body from the debris. Her hand graciously covered her mouth though it didn't stop the words from pouring out. "They've found Shepard's body..."

The troopers pulled Shepard's tattered body up and held her like a limp rag doll while the female Cerberus captain inspected her. She ran her omnitool around the fallen Commander's body in a slow thorough pattern before taking a look at the readings.

"The life signs are faint but they're still there. Get her back to the ship!"

"Holy shit the Commander is alive," Janix exclaimed. It was an improbable occurrence but not impossible; he had remembered reading that humans could survive up to three days before dying of dehydration and possibly ten without food. But her body must've have suffered mass amounts of trauma; it was a wonder the blood loss hadn't taken her first. It'd had been over a week since the Reapers had fallen. He reached back and pulled out his heavy pistol in preparation. "We can't let them take her!" He didn't care much for the affairs of humans knowing that most of them did not share a kindness for alien species but in the past three years of this cycle it had become quite evident that whatever concerned Commander Shepard concerned the galaxy.

"Understood," Raythe replied and he readied is omnitool.

Zharia quietly leveled her Widow and took aim. The shot echoed through the empty space and Raythe watched as the head of the soldier holding up Shepard's body exploded into bits and pieces. Shepard's body fell to the ground as Zharia took cover once more to reload. Raythe leapt from his spot and placed an incineration blast in the central part of the group igniting multiple targets who then pranced around in an attempt to put out the flames. Without hesitation Janix picked off the distracted and inflamed troops before having to reload himself.

These events had only taken moments but it was enough to have severely dwindled the numbers of the Cerberus force.

Zhorn howled at the devastation and excitement but held back knowing that he couldn't help right now.

"Get her body out of here," the Cerberus Commander ordered as she pulled out her assault rifle and gestured for the remaining troopers to move in for the attack.

"Oh shit," Janix breathed. There had been more troops just out of view of small pirate group. Many of them were engineers. One was a Phantom. He had heard many rumors about the dangers of Phantoms and his next shot went right for her skull. He watched in dismay as a small purple glow sent his shot to floor. "Zharia take down that barrier or this battle will be over!" He fired a few more rounds at the Troopers in an attempt to keep them away from Shepard.

Holstering her sniper rifle with incredible speed Zharia began a full on biotic assault against the Phantom. Unfortunately this meant losing one more force against the grunts. Troopers leveled shots at them and Raythe launched incineration after incineration at them so slow their shots at the out of cover Zharia. She flinched occasionally as the rounds nicked her barriers slowly taking them down. The engineers began preparing their turrets for activation and Janix knew there was few precious moments left before the Commander would be lost. Raythe overloaded one of the turret mounds decimating its planter and igniting the engineer nearest to him. Janix tried his best to whittle down the shields of another engineer while the Phantom stumbled backwards as Zharia hit her with another warp blast.

The minute Janix saw one of the Turrets begin to rise he knew that they'd lost. The Cerberus forces began to retreat with Shepard's body until only the turret and the Phantom remained.

The phantom was a lot closer than Zharia would have liked but she had to take a chance or that turret would rip them to shreds. She halted her attack and threw up a barrier to block the onslaught of bullets; unfortunately the phantom was close enough that she too was shielded from the turrets attack. Zharia flinched expecting to feel the slice of the blade unable to drop the barrier to guard herself. She didn't need to. Before Janix or Raythe could level their guns the phantom let out a scream as Zhorn's teeth buried themselves into her shoulder and she fell to the ground beneath his weight. Zharia held her barrier against the turret but turned her gaze away from the blood bath that pooled at her feet as the phantoms cries turned to quiet gurgles. While Zhorn enjoyed his treat Zharia and Raythe turned to Janix for guidance.

"Cerberus has Shepard's body now," Raythe said bringing the thought to the table. "We can't get her back. That would be a suicide mission."

Janix contemplated what to do for a moment. Each outcome and option traced its way through his mind as he considered their situation. "Well," he began uneasily. "Commander Shepard made a habit out of bringing everyone back alive from suicide missions."

"But sir, this is none of our business-"

"Cerberus activities are everyone's business," Janix snapped. "And so is Commander Shepard. We may be the only beings in existence that know she's alive. And we're damn well the only ones who know that Cerberus has her."

Zharia wavered slightly under her barrier but held Janix's gaze. "Whatever Cerberus has planned...you know that it will affect us all Captain. You have indeed made that clear. But you still haven't said what you want to do."

"Tell someone," Raythe suggested urgently. "Tell someone and make it their problem. We're in no position to be facing all of Cerberus."

"Not by ourselves," Janix concluded. "And we can't tell just anyone. We'll be persecuted for trespassing on the Citadel. And what's to say anyone would believe us even if we did tell them. No ... wouldn't work. But I do have a plan."

"Sir?" Zharia's voice was calm but Janix could hear her loyalty; whatever he decided Zharia would follow him without question even if it meant her death.

Janix looked to Raythe for his decision. The quarian hesitated for a moment before acknowledging what the look meant and he saluted his Captain. "Till the end sir. Whatever stupid thing you decide."

"Good. Because we're going to save Commander Shepard. But we're going to need some help..."

* * *

Illium, one of the few places to suffer only a little damage from the Reaper attack, was as bright and lively as it had always been. It was missing a few chunks here and there but what mattered was that the economy hadn't suffered. With the Citadel in ruins and most worlds still needing to recover from the war Illium was in its prime. Everyone needed something and there was no place better to get it; whether people were rebuilding their homes, their ships or preparing for a strike back. There were brokers there of all kinds. Even those of information.

Janix made his way through the streets with purpose dressed in his usual bright white Kassa armor. His large black eyes were furrowed in determination as he swam through the crowds. He made people uncomfortable as he passed them; they all assumed that with his dress and demeanor he was on his way to fight another unknown enemy. With the war just ended that was to be expected. He was looking for a very specific being on Illium; a Volus by the name of Barla Von. Many thought that he had died when the Citadel was taken but he was indeed very smart. Before the attack had even occurred the Volus had made his way off world to return to his most profitable trade of information brokering. He continued working for the Shadow Broker and was doing quite well. Knowing exactly where to look it didn't take the him long.

"Barla Von," Janix stated as he stepped into the volus' office.

Barla looked up and the heavy breathing through his filter greeted them. "Captain Janix Athi," Barla Von greeted in return.

Janix smirked. "I should be surprised but I suppose you wouldn't be an information broker worth visiting if you didn't know me."

"Of course," Barla Von agreed. "One of the surviving members of the Salarian STG that worked on the genophage modification program. A pleasure to meet you. What brings you here to my office today?"

"I need information of a very unique sort. I already suspect it won't be cheap."

Barla considered this for a moment before gesturing for him to continue. "You've peaked my interest Salarian. Please, continue."

"I need dossiers," Janix said as he straightened himself to look like the Captain he knew he was. "I need names, locations. On all of Commander Shepard's surviving crew members."

"You're right," Barla Von agreed with a heavy intake of breath. "Information like that will not come cheap at all. Or easy. But I know we have it. However it may take some time."

Janix couldn't help a frown from creasing his brow. "This is a very unique and very urgent situation. Is there nothing we can do? I can promise that we will pay you handsomely for your troubles."

Barla considered the offer for a moment before turning to his omni tool skeptically. "I hope that you will. I am going out on quite a limb here." His fingers manoeuvred delicately along the omni tool interface as he input the information. "I have put the information request for you and marked it urgent. I've sent it as high up as I know. I wish I could do more for you but you must understand. With everything that we've all just gone through information on Commander Shepard is of a very need to know sort."

Janix sighed and nodded knowing that all he could do now was wait.

* * *

Liara T'soni absentmindedly twirled Glyph's projection orb on her desk as a heavy sigh of boredom overcame her; she never thought she'd miss the little drone's annoying personality. But now that she was trapped in the little shuttle she dared call the Shadow Broker base without the comfort of anyone's company but her own she missed it. She had docked on a small world that supported one small human colony and a ridiculous amount of vegetation. n Feron hadn't made it back in time to join her; but she made sure to tell him not to return. As far as Cerberus knew he was either dead or in the clutches of the Shadow Broker (which she supposed he was) so he was the only person she could safely interact with without compromising her friends or her location.

Cerberus was watching them. She had managed to fall back after the Reaper attack but after a few monitored transmissions and a couple of intel reports later she knew that Cerberus was as active as ever and that they were looking for Shepard. She wanted desperately to tell one of her friends but they were being monitored around the clock for any contact with each other. She couldn't risk contacting them and having them track the calls back to her base.

A new information request blipped across her screen and the orb fell to the ground with a startling thunk. Someone had gone to Barla Von requesting information on the whereabouts of Shepard's teammates.

"By the goddess Cerberus is making a move," Liara breathed.

Her fingers darted rapidly across the computer bringing up the latest video footage of Illium and her brow crinkled in confusion. A salarian was making his way out of Barla Von's office not a human. Obviously couldn't work for Cerberus then; they would only make the 'mistake' of trusting aliens once. The look on his face had been one of hopeless dejection. Moving again she pulled up his dossier which brought to her even more confusion.

Janix Athi; served in the same STG unit as Mordin Solus. He had left shortly after the genophage modification project and taken to Captaining his own ship which was run by a small crew of an assortment of different races. It said that he called it a pirate vessel but they had never attacked or pillaged another ship; they were far more like raiders due to their foraging activities. In short he was now a nobody. He'd fallen off almost every map except those of his squad mates. What would he possibly want those dossiers for?

Bringing up her comm connection she radioed to Feron; hopefully he could get her the answers she needed.

_"Broker,_" came his short reply.

"I have a task for you.."

* * *

"He can't do anything at all," Astrea's pilot demanded boldly when Janix returned to the ship with the news. The female turian bristled at the idea and her mandibles clicked in irritation. "What kind of information broker did you see? It doesn't sound like he's capable of anything."

Janix did agree with the unfortunate circumstances but he ignored her irritation. He know she was the most emotional of the crew. "I'm sure it's fine Nitall. This isn't a normal request. Shepard has saved the galaxy I don't even know how many times in the past three years. Anything concerning her concerns us all. That's why we're here in the first place. The Shadow Broker knows that as well as anyone. Whether or not we get this information is not a decision he can leave to any of his informants."

She growled and bristled again but returned to her ministrations at the helm of the ship. Janix swore that if her gray skin could have reddened with rage it would have and her violet eyes had conveyed to him her trust but also pleaded with him to make this worth it. She took a moment to straighten her black suit to try making it obvious she was trying to find ways to distract herself.

An alarm on her display moniter startled her and Janix snickered when she jumped in the air.

"Encrypted." Nitall tilted her head curiously before looking to Janix for a confirmation.

"Patch it through," Janix said with a shrug assuming that it was Barla Von

Nitall nodded and after a few rapid motions across the data pad the communications screen buzzed to life. There was no hologram or visual to greet them though, simply the deep unnerving voice.

_"It has been brought to my attention that you're looking for information on Commander Shepard."_

"Holy shit it's the Shadow Broker," Nitall breathed in dismay. No ever spoke to the Shadow Broker; not even his own informants.

Janix gulped feeling completely unprepared for the confrontation. "Uhhh...yes sir. I did. My name is..."

* * *

"I know who you are," Feron snapped into the receptor as his fingers pressed delicately to his ear making sure that his conversation would be kept private. "You're the two bit leader of a little band of pirates but you're nothing more than scavengers. You're still allowed to dock at main cities because you've never done anything worthy of getting you noticed. So now, tell me, what does a worthless little group like yours want with information on Shepard?"

He recited every bit of information that Liara had given them in their short transmission before beckoning the Astrea. He hoped he would be able to do her proud by making this decision for her knowing that she wouldn't contact them herself. Feron was the only person that Liara felt comfortable contacting right now even through her Shadow Broker networks but only because Cerberus believed him to be dead so she knew that he remained unmonitored. She had considered getting him to send a message to the others to warn them about Cerberus but she knew that meant they would discover Feron and she would lose her only hand in the outside world.

Feron heard the Salarian gulp nervously before announcing._ "Shepard is alive."_

The drell stopped breathing for a moment. Liara had not prepared him for something like that. He could guess that she'd had her assumptions that Shepard was alive but he still felt like the world had suddenly been placed on his shoulders. He couldn't exactly say ' hey hold on one second I'm going to contact the real shadow broker and ask her what to do'.

"Impossible," Feron told him.

"_No just improbabl_e," Janix replied cautiously.

"How do you know this?"

_"I saw it with my own eyes. We were raiding the Citadel for anything that we could find and we bumped into a Cerberus squad. They uncovered Shepard in the debris. I thought maybe it was just her body but Cerberus scanned it...they found signs of life. We did what we could to try and stop them from taking her but it wasn't enough."_

"Explain then. Why do you need the dossier's for her teammates." Feron had to admit to himself that his curiosity was peaked.

_"Because we can't get her back by ourselves."_ And Feron found himself taken a back once more. What did they care? The words came to his lips but Janix continued cutting him short. _"Shepard did so much for everyone. I heard that she would even take the time to detour during missions to help those in need. She made time for everyone and she never gave up. If we lose her the galaxy will be lesser for it. But...we're just a small crew. We can't take on Cerberus by ourselves and I figure if anyone would be willing to help us it would be her old squad mates."_

He had to admit; he was moved. He knew that they could have been lying but something in his heart told him to trust that Janix had good intentions. The Salarian certainly had nothing to gain by looking to help Shepard but Liara had made sure that there was a failsafe in place just in case.

_"We do have people we can get to help us,"_ Janix started up again when Feron remained silent._ "And we intend to ask for their help as well. But..."_

"Enough," Feron commanded finding his composer again. "I've heard enough. We shall see." Feron let out a heavy breath that he hoped they hadn't heard. "I have two dossiers for you; all at the same location. If you can recruit them then you will deserve the other dossiers." What he carefully chose not to tell them was that if they couldn't convince those three of their good intentions they would probably be killed on the spot. That was Liara's fail safe; should Feron choose to give them any information they would be stopped dead in their tracks if they were unworthy.

Without waiting for a reply Feron cut the transmission so that he didn't have to feel like he was destroying the Shadow Broker's image anymore. After catching his breath he switched the transmission channel back to Liara.

"Did you hear all that?"

_"Every word,_" Liara replied.

"Do you believe him?"

Liara considered it for a moment._ "I haven't decided yet. He's obviously not working for Cerberus. I checked my feeds around the relays and did see a Cerberus cruiser in the vicinity of the Citadel. If he worked for them he certainly wouldn't be giving up information like that. But what makes them think they can do anything to help?"_

"What made Shepard think she could stop Saren? Or the Collectors? Or the Reaper?"

Liara's irritation became evident. She was very protective of Shepard._ "She didn't! She just knew she had to try and do something..."_

"Exactly," Feron replied in calm tone hoping that Liara would understand he never meant to offend her. "She had to try."

Liara sighed. _"Well if their intentions are as honest you believe Feron then I only hope they're good enough to achieve the other dossiers. Or we'll have to find another way to save her...Goddess I can't believe she's still alive."_

* * *

Janix received the dossiers almost instantly and cringed slightly. The Shadow Broker was obviously testing their resolve.

Nitall looked at him expectantly. "Sir?" She waited patiently for his reply and saw the distress on his features. This wasn't going to be easy. She stood up and saluted him finally pulling his attention from the dossiers. "Sir you shouldn't worry. You know we'll follow you into the depths of hell."

Janix snickered. "Good to know because that's exactly where we're going. Set a course for Tuchanka."


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO - Trust Issues**

_"Speak when spoken to Uvenk. I'll drag your clan to glory whether it likes it or not." - Urdnot Wrex_

* * *

Tuchanka; the radioactive dump of the galaxy. Even if you asked the Krogan they would agree with you but not before turning your face into something that resembled its most wanton corner. The ship circled the docking area drawing more Krogan attention than Janix would have liked. He intended to take the shuttle down and leave Nitall in orbit but in range of communications. With a Quarian on board he couldn't risk contaminating the ship with whatever radioactive material could cling to it.

"Not too keen on seeing the people you nudered?" Nitall cocked her head at the Salarian Captian.

"I didn't nuder them," he protested weakly. "I was only a part of the modification program not the original genophage."

Nitall scoffed and a playful grin tweaked her mandibles. "Two thousand credits says you can't say that sentence before a Krogan eats your face."

"Four thousand says they just shoot him," Raythe bet as he strode into the helm.

Janix bristled nervously and did his best to look irritated with the quarian. "Shouldn't you be somewhere making sure the engine doesn't explode on us or something?"

The Quarian shrugged. "I figured you'd appreciate the offer of a quicker less painful death by exploding ship before you shuttle down there." His smile was broad behind the glass and he almost wished that Janix could see the so called 'shit-eating-grin'.

Janix shook his head and shivered in slight fear. Of all the places the broker could have sent them first it had to be Tuchanka. He got the sinking feeling that this mission would be over before it started.

He made his way to the console beside Nitall and radioed down to Zharia's quarters. "Are you just about ready?"

"No," the cold Asari tone announced from behind him. He almost jumped as he turned to find Zharia standing by the exit port with Zhorn hot at her heel. The varren never left her side; of his own free will of course. There had been times where he'd been forced to stay on the ship while she was out, usually this had been when they docked on the Citadel or Omega, but that usually meant returning to a ship that looking like it had taken a brown dwarf to the gut.

She adjusted her sniper rifle of her back and he noticed that she had also adorned a Vindicator assault rifle and a Grall Spike Thrower. She had also adorned her usual uniform only with upgraded Serrice Council gauntlets to help enhance the power damage of her biotic abilities which she had already trained to near perfection.

"No?" Janix couldn't help but laugh. "How are you not ready? You look set to go to war."

She hesitated in her movements and she looked at him with that same stoic expression she always carried. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that." His smile faded as he saw in her eye what she would never say; she was worried. There wasn't any real way to prepare for a confrontation like this one; there was no way to tell how the Krogan would react to a Salarian presence with the war so fresh.

With what was left of his demeanor sobered by the Asari they boarded the shuttle and prepared to make the descent to the surface. Janix wasn't much for piloting but he had enough basic skills to handle the simple task of docking.

Zharia buckled in beside him and stared into space with a look of contemplation on her features. Janix had chosen to bring Zharia with him for many reasons. Her combat abilities ranked her high above everyone else on the ship making her ideal for any close combat situation. But above that she had a high level of appreciation for xenoculture. He knew the Krogan didn't have many traditions left in their lives but what they did have they valued and respected. He would prefer to have somewhere there who would hopefully keep him from putting his foot in his mouth. Or keep him from putting himself in a situation where the Krogan would do that for him.

Janix suddenly became quite paranoid of the idea. "Shouldn't you give me a run down on Krogan culture before we go out there?" Janix looked at Zharia expectantly as their shuttle drew closer to the surface near Clan Urdnot's camp.

"No," she replied simply without looking at him. "If you try too hard you'll look like an ass. At least if you're ignorant you're being honest."

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and a small smirk twitched at the side of her full lips. He smiled warmly at her in return and laughed at the joke. He a remembered a time of knowing Zharia that she used to crack-wise like that more often than not.

He cringed as he landed far rougher than he had intended to on the already ragged terrain and Zhorn growled his disapproval.

The brisk and dusty Tuchanka air swept around them and filled their mouths with a stale taste that made the duo question if the atmosphere was actually breathable. A Krogan with a large black head plate waited to greet them; a smile curled the grey skin of his features yet didn't match the angry implications of the shotgun curled in his talons.

"I'm looking for Urdnot Wrex," Janix announced in his most dignified tone.

The Krogan let out a deep throaty chuckle the sent a chill up Zharia's spine.

"I bet you are," he replied and Janix watched in horror as Krogan poured from every crack to flank them on each side.

* * *

"Don't make me come over there and do it myself Turunk or only one of us is coming back!" Wrex's voice carried across campsite causing the young blooded warrior to jump out of his thick brown skin and hurry on his task.

Krogan of all Clan and age were present in the Jorgal camp in an attempt to bring them together now that the genophage was cured. Each was doing their part to help rebuild their planet. Many had simply demanded of Wrex that he go to the Council and fight them for a new planet to live on. At first, with the population boom sure to come, Wrex thought this was a brilliant idea. However after a lengthy and somewhat tedious discussion with Urdnot Bakara it was decided that they would take this opportunity to prove to the galaxy what the Krogan could accomplish. They had once been a proud and cultured race. Bakara insisted they had the chance to be so once more but if they could not prove it to the council they would never be allowed to expand and would likely force history to repeat itself. Wrex may be stubborn but he could respect a good idea when he heard one and Bakara had many.

Unfortunately some clans still refused to see the light of the situation. Clan Jurdon, for one, had always been at ends with Clan Urdnot. Clan Gatatog who had never truly forgiven Clan Urdnot for the death of their leader Uvenk. And of course there was always Clan Werloc. Wrex could've cared less though; as much as he wanted the Clan's united he would not stand to have those half-quad Krogan in his midst. And he knew that's what those pathetic little pyjaks bred.

First step to rebuilding their planet, it had been decided, was rebuilding their living space. Bakara insisted that if the Krogan could see what their home could potentially be with a little hard work they might be inspired to rebuild more of it. As a show of good faith Wrex himself decided not to rebuild his own clan camp first and instead decided that they world work on Clan Jorgal's camp first. Jorgal Lrank had been most pleased by the offer and the belief that Wrex's goals were for all clans had indeed grown.

He gazed up at the large dust of a cloud that circled endlessly above his planet and for a moment his mind wandered to that fateful day. For all the jokes had he made if Mordin were alive today he would have made the stupid little pyjak an honorary member of Clan Urdnot and his personal adviser.

"Clan leader!" The cry came within the deepest corners of the group and had Wrex not recognised the voice of his Cheif Scout he probably would've howled at the boy for being an idiot; there were at least four Clan leaders present this day.

"What is it," Wrex demanded as he pushed his way through the crowd.

"I spotted an alien shuttle landing in Clan Urdnot territory."

"Alliance perhaps? Or Turian?" Wrex's guesses were aloud and the scout shook his head.

"Unmarked Asari cargo shuttle, sir. I sent a transmission over to inform them of your absence and to return later."

"And your point?"

The scout's face darkened. "No one answered. In fact, someone cut the transmission."

"Someone cut it?!" That meant that his camp, his home, was under siege. Wrex's rage could be felt in waves across the campground. "Those bastards will rue the day they crossed me..."

* * *

Zharia floated back to consciousness with an ache that only a Krogan could cause pressuring the back of her skull. Her eyes fluttered momentarily before she decided it best to hide her status for a moment. Eyes closed she honed her other senses and felt the room shape itself around her. The smell of blood and Krogan was potent and musky in the air masking much more. She listened in and heard the deep quiet breathes of the Krogan watching her. Three? Maybe four to allow for error. That wasn't as bad as it could be. She could feel that they'd relieved her of her weaponry but they had failed to recognise her gauntlets for what they were. She slowly opened her eyes and they fell on a Krogan waiting in front of her. He nodded towards her and the other Krogan in the room moved to confront her. She'd been right; three.

"What do you think you're doing on our planet Asari?" He snickered and straightened up a little trying to make himself seem more important. "Trying to find yourself a worthwhile male?" His laughter chimed with an arrogant tone and the other Krogan fell into chime with him.

Zharia sneered as her biotics lit up behind her back and she spat defiantly on his chest plate. "Fat chance of me finding one here unless you guys are hiding Turians somewhere." Her sneer slowly melted into a smirk when his face lit up with fury and he pulled back his shot gun.

* * *

Janix jolted to life to with a spark and a sharp intake of breath as he shot forward. His hands and feet were bound and he found himself in a cold crumbling room that was barely holding itself together. The same Krogan that had first greeted them stood before him now with a shotgun cocked and ready.

"Finally awake you little pyjak," the Krogan accused.

Janix cringed and wished he could've gone back to sleep. He kept his mouth shut and attempted to assess the situation. He had no idea how long he'd been knocked out or where he'd been moved to. Had Nitall tried looking for him yet? What happened to Zharia?

"Where...where is the Asari?" Janix's voice carried the weight of tiredness to it as he tried to drag his mind from its state.

The Krogan chuckled. "The soft little blue one? She's somewhere around here. Maybe she'll like what she gets and stay." The grunts and deep laughter rang throughout the room and Janix worried for a moment. Zharia was good, but he didn't know how many Krogan she was good enough to take on. "You won't be so lucky," the Krogan then snapped at him before slamming the butt of his shotgun into Janix's forehead causing the Salarian to almost black out again.

His head rolled around attempting to readjust to the surroundings but his time was limited as the Krogan reached forward and pulled the Salarian to his feet.

"What're you doing on our planet you little worm?!"

"I'm here to talk to Urdnot Wrex," Janix spat back at him as he carefully considered his options.

"For what purpose," the Krogan hissed back.

He raised his shotgun to strike Janix down again but the former STG Operative had other plans. You didn't get to work for the Salarian STG without some special skills. Janix's fists slammed up into the Krogan jaw sending the surprised behemoth off balance for a split second. All the time Janix needed. He threw his bound hands up around the Krogan's head crest and pulled down just as he jumped up. The Krogan's nose slammed into Janix's knees while the jagged plates of its crest tore through Janix's hand bindings. Janix kicked forward planting both his feet into the Krogan's heavily armored chest. It wasn't much against the great weight of the species but it was enough to knock him backwards and make him drop his gun. As Janix landed in a crouch on the floor he dodged to the side knowing that by then the other Krogan in the room would have leveled their guns at him. As he rolled he grabbed the dropped gun and corrected himself to face the rest of the room. Three other Krogan. Not a problem. One of them hadn't even grabbed his gun yet.

His eyes darted across the scene as he felt time slow in his mind's eye so that he could assess the situation.

One armed Krogan charging. All roaring as Krogan do when angered or battling. Show of strength. Challenge of offenders courage. Exposing physical underbelly. Krogan skin thick making them difficult to kill. Inside not so durable.

The shotgun tore through the tender skin inside of each Krogan's throat dropping them to the ground as they choked on the blood that bubbled up through their teeth. Janix went to start removing the binds from his feet when he heard the Korgan he had kicked down growling as it rose to his feet. This had been easier knowing that the Krogan were slow; hindered by their great size and weight. Had he been against an Asari Commando unit he would've had to alter his strategy greatly. Either way he needed this one alive.

Turning to face him Janix fired the shotgun almost directly against his shin bone. The shot exploded that chunk of armor and the angry Krogan stumbled backwards to clutch at his bleeding leg. The wound was almost superficial but he hadn't been expecting it.

Janix quickly finished relieving himself of his leg restraints and stood up casually. Brushing the dust off his suit he made his way over to the wounded beast.

"I do believe the tables have turned my good creature," Janix announced as he dropped the thermal clip to the ground and stood above the Krogan in an overbearing manner. "Now I will be the one asking the questions."

"You're the one who came here," the Krogan snapped back as he attempted to make his way slowly to his feet again.

Janix shot him again in the same leg wound tearing through the thick layer of scaled skin. The Krogan howled in pain and Janix considered the gun thoughtfully for a moment.

"Now, I'm assuming no one is coming to bother us here. My guess is you were instructed to get all the information out of me that you could and then report back to your leader when you were done. My next guess is Krogan don't have time to babysit; no one will be coming here to ask you how you're doing." Janix considered the small room. It reminded him of a prison cell with its barred door but seemed almost failed as the other three walls consisted of dusty crumbling bricks. "My last guess is that we're somewhere no one could stumble on what you're doing here. Not so far out of the way that it takes a long trip but just enough so that we won't be accidentally bothered. The Krogan and Salarian relations may not be perfect but no use starting a war before you can breed an army."

The Krogan growled but didn't reply and Janix took his silence as a yes on all counts. "Now why kidnap me and the Asari?"

"You think I'll tell you anything you worm?"

Janix snickered. "No my good man, I think you'll sing to me."

* * *

Wrex watched another Krogan drop as he took cover behind a rolled Tomka to drop another thermal clip. Those bastards. Clan Jurdon; they'd pulled together what was left of Werloc and Gatatog and united them against Clan Urdnot. While Wrex had been away they had come in intending to destroy his camp and show him they would not follow him. They had done substantial damage to everything as far as he could see. If Wrex hadn't been so united with the other camps he would have worried that his own Clan would have to go without for awhile. But that didn't matter. What did matter is his clan had been threatened and Wrex would not rest until all those who opposed him and what he stood to build were crushed under his heel. He looked over and saw another member of Clan Urdnot doing the same as him a fire in his belly as well. Many of Clan Urdnot had returned when they heard their camp was under siege.

He pulled himself from cover to assess the layout again and found that they were grossly outnumbered here. A Werloc warrior howled and came charging around the corner at him. Wrex prepared to tear the skin from his face when something else beat him to it. A large varren landed on the opposing Krogan's back and slammed him to the ground where it proceeded to indulge itself with a chunk of skin from just below the head plate before bounding off to take cover in another small crevice that the rubble provided. The colour pattern had been different than most of the varren he'd seen around this area but he chose not to question the aid and instead used the shot on a Clan Jurdon young blood who'd been trying to limp away from the battlefield.

Wrex chuckled and it turned to full out bellows of laughter as he watched the abnormal varren leap from its hiding position again and tear down another young blood; this one from Gatatog. He didn't know where it had come from but it obviously had spirit and it was one their side. Upon hearing Wrex's laughter the varren bounded over to his side and crouched behind the small area of cover. It's looked up at him expectantly with large trusting eyes.

"What the hell do you want, a hug for good work?"

"He wants orders." The voice took him by surprise with its overly feminine tone and he spun around to see an Asari standing there obviously not concerned by the flying bullets. The varren yapped excitedly at her and bounced around by Wrex's feet in response.

"You must have come in on that shuttle that my scout reported in," Wrex announced and he turned around to blast a stupid Krogan who thought he was sneaking up on the elder leader. Krogan were many things; stealthy was not on that list.

"Yes," she replied calmly and she moved into cover beside him and unsheathed her recently reclaimed Black Widow. "Myself and one other. A Salarian named Janix."

"Well you're obviously not against me so that means you're with me." Wrex judged her warily but knew that allies were good to come by.

"True. But I'm sure we can discuss my being here once we find Janix and when there are less grenades being lobbed."

A nearby explosion showered Wrex with rubble and he watched one of his clan charge into the dust cloud to greet his attackers face to face. The shots beside his ears from her rifle caused his blood to ring as he watched Krogan after Krogan fall. He had wanted to unite the clans for peace and the growth of their species and here they were right back where the Salarian's found them. For a moment he thought that maybe they deserved to rot on their little chunk of rubble.

"ENOUGH!" The voice bellowed angrily across what was left of the Urdnot camp and all eyes were drawn to a lone figure standing atop the highest pile of rubble within sight. Urdnot Bakara looked down on all the Krogan with scorn and hate. "I do not care what petty rivalries you think justify this. This is slaughter. This is savagery. And this is exactly what led to our damnation in the first place." She started making her way down to the scene and Wrex saw a Salarian head peak out after her but keep its distance from the crowd. "Jurdon Hyat I know you are here. And I will tell you this once and only once; war will not solve your problems."

"Says you." A large Krogan shoved his way through the mess; his great size making him more than a match for Wrex or Grunt. "Urdnot Wrex is the leader of your Clan. But for years now he has paraded around declaring that he knows best for all Krogan." Hyat's head plate was a thick black with large spikes curling away from his skull. His leathery skin with a bland grey that matched the grey hate filled eyes embedded in his skull. The armor he wore was a rich dark blue that showed years of wear and tear; obviously family armor. "You forget your place Wrex. You are the leader of but one clan. Leading the rest is not your place."

Wrex heard a murmur of agreement rise in the fighting Krogan even the ones on his side of the battlefield. "Their clan leaders chose to follow my direction."

"And those who didn't were killed!" Hyat took a threatened step in his direction and raised his fist accusingly. "The leader of Clan Werloc. And Gatatog Uvenk! You had them both murdered to have your way.."

"I did no such thing," Wrex retorted as he spit at the Krogan.

"Enough," Bakara commanded again. Her status as the Shaman of the Female Clan made her far more powerful than anyone else on that field. Though the genophage was cured the females could still refuse males mating privileges and an enemy of the Shaman would most likely spend the rest of his days watching his Clan wither and die. "Disagreeing with Wrex's ways is no reason to start a war amongst our people. You raided his camp to prove your point and you've made it. Now get out. Enough Krogan have died today over this foolishness. Just because we now have the ability to make more doesn't mean we should create anymore reason to."

Though it was obvious that Jurdon Hyat was not happy with this decision he knew that more fighting now would result in his Clan and those joined with him being shunned from the female camp. He nodded to what was left of the small force he had brought with him and made his way out of the camp. "Remember Urdnot Wrex; you do not have the support of all the clans."

"Then find somewhere else to stay and rot in the sun there you filthy pyjak," Wrex retorted. "I will do what is best for my Clan, and all Clan's, whether you like it or not!" The Krogan were no strangers to treason nor did they take much offense to it. But usually when an act of treason was committed no one was left standing to have their feelings hurt. Wrex certainly couldn't say he was offended but he wouldn't stand for it if there was anything he could do to stop it.

Janix waited until all the hostile Krogan left the area before climbing his way down to return to Urdnot Bakara's side drawing a few murmurs and looks from the confused crowd.

"That was very diplomatic of you," he commented hoping that she would take it as praise.

Zharia strode up to him a little too fast revealing her relief at his survival and her anticipation to be close to him again. "It should be. She's a Shaman."

Bakara tilted her head in curiosity to the Asari. "That is very observant of you. I am surprised that you would be able to recognise that in us."

Janix smiled proudly. "Xenostudies are a passion of Zharia's. She's very well versed in most species' cultures."

Zharia smiled under the praise. "It was one of my favorite subjects to research. Your Rites and Chants though were my favorite."

"I am flattered that not all in this universe have forgotten what we can be," Bakara commented. "May I know your name?"

"My name is Zharia T'Leon. It is a pleasure to meet you." Zharia knew not to ask for the Shaman's name; she remembered reading that it was tradition for Shaman to relinquish their names once they had passed their Rite.

"The pleasure is shared," the female Krogan replied with a nod.

The mood had greatly deflated but the tension still remained thick in the air especially with the presence of two aliens whose motives still remained to be determined.

"My name is Urdnot Wrex," Wrex announced unable to handle not being involved in the conversation for another moment. "Leader of Clan Urdnot."

"Urdnot Wrex," Janix said aloud as he watched the large red armored Krogan stride towards him. The scars on his face told a dark story that Janix had to look away from before he fell too far into it.

"I don't know what you worms are doing here but I suppose we have your unexpected visit to thank. If it wasn't for the scout wanting to check up on why your shuttle landed we might never have known those pyjak loving bastards were trying to tear our camp apart." Janix went to say something but Wrex continued on. "However that was purely by accident. I don't know why you're here but we have no reason to trust your intentions..."

"You have to be kidding me," Janix snapped out. He couldn't help himself; this was ridiculous. "The Reapers were just defeated. Everyone worked together for that and you still think we need to be mistrustful of each other?"

"I will do what I have to to make sure my species isn't sterilized again." Wrex stared down the Salarian with intensity and Janix could tell the Krogan wouldn't budge so he nodded his acknowledgement. "You have my permission to stay until your shuttle is fixed but as soon as the mechanic is finished I expect you to leave."

"As soon as our shuttle is fixed?"

Wrex bellowed with laughter and gestured to the docking bay where Janix gasped at the condition their shuttle was in. Raythe would kill him if he could see this. Those renegade Krogan had made short work of the hull and smoke billowed from one of the engines. It was obvious that they wanted to make sure that even if they did escape their prison they wouldn't be able to go very far.

"Son of a..." Janix couldn't even find the words but his shoulders sank in defeat. Wrex's suspicion was frustrating but understandable. Their victory in the war may have been recent but word had spread throughout the races that the Salarian Dalatrass had attempted to bribe Shepard to issue a fake cure to the Krogan. It was no wonder he felt like Salarian's weren't to be trusted. His insistence at their leaving had also made it obvious that he really didn't care what had brought them here in the first place he just wanted them gone. He obviously had enough problems to worry about. But Janix still had a mission; he'd simply half to come up with a better plan. "I accept your terms Wrex. Thank you. That's more than most Salarians would deserve on Tuchanka."

"You didn't shot me in the back when you had the chance," Wrex said nodding to Zharia. "That's enough for me to make sure you're shown the same courtesy. But that's all." Wrex nodded his acceptance of the Salarian's words and started to work towards repairing his own camp. He instructed his scout to send word of what had happened to their allied clans and to assure them that progress would continue as soon as his Clan had a place to sleep comfortably.

Janix watched the Krogan disperse and take on tasks without question before him and Zharia starting to make their way slightly away from the now bustling camp with Zhorn hot on her heels.

"Have you already spoken to him about our predicament? Did he already refuse to help?" Zharia tilted her head in confusion but her voice was low as her eyes darted suspiciously to passing Krogan.

"I haven't mentioned it yet," Janix admitted. Janix pulled her to the side so they could seat themselves on a pile of rubble out of everyone's way while Zhorn laid down patiently at their feet. He began to tell her the story of his escape from the Krogan that had kidnapped him and his interrogation of the surviving one. He had discovered from that Krogan's bleeding mouth that the ringleader Jurdon Hayt believed they had been summoned by Urdnot Wrex to create a new genophage that would be administered to any that wouldn't follow him.

Zharia frowned and whispered. "That doesn't make any sense. Very few Krogan are masters of intellectual warfare and I can tell you right now Urdnot Wrex is not one of them. Besides Hayt's speech didn't make any sense. Krogan are not, by nature, diplomatic creatures. They are selfish. They are violent. Wrex is an oddity amongst his people. His passion for strengthening his race stems not from revenge or from a need to conquer. He honestly wants his species to reach its potential." Zharia twiddled her fingers as if making a few calculations; Janix knew her passion xenology would come in handy. "Hayt...he is true to the Krogan nature. He speaks of hate for Wrex because of Wrex's methods. But that's how he started his following. He's not looking to save the Krogan species. He's looking to overthrow Wrex as a leader so that now that the Krogan can grow back to their full numbers he can have control over the most powerful army in the galaxy."

Zharia's words were so definite that Janix knew her theory had no error. He watched Wrex talking to the mechanic and gesturing to their shuttle.

"So now we have two things to talk to him about," Janix mused out loud. Wrex had already declared that he had no reason to trust them so why would he trust anything that they had to say. How could they get him to believe them? To help retrieve Shepard? And now they had info to help his clan but he would have to believe them first.

"How did you come here with the Shaman?" Zharia's question was innocent and slightly off topic but he knew it flowed perfectly with her train of thought whenever it had gone.

He explained how he had accidentally bumped into her while leaving the prison. He had expected her to pull a gun on him like the other Krogan he had encountered but instead she had only looked at him and said in a neutral tone that he looked like a man with a mission and a man in need of some guidance. Without another word she had led him forward and to the large settlement that was the Urdnot Clan camp.

Zharia seemed to consider this for a moment as her fingers twitched over the imaginary datapad once more. Her eyes glanced to the ground and back up to Urdnot Wrex. "If Wrex orders it...then Urdnot Grunt will come with us as well."

"Where is Grunt anyway?"

Zharia shrugged. "I'm sure he's somewhere. Maybe at another camp?" She shook her head at him signalling that it didn't matter. "Janix, do you trust me?"

"Zharia...do you think I would have asked you to join me on the Astrea if I didn't trust you?" He tiled his head curiously at her and saw the solemn look her features. "You're about to do something dangerous aren't you?"

She looked at him and a rare smile cracked her features lighting even her synthetic eye. "We've already done that today so it's time to do something crazy."

Zharia patted Zhorn on the had and whispered to him for a moment to stay with Janix and to not follow her. The varren whimpered but would not disobey. She lifted herself from her seated and straightened herself up to look as tall as she could. She strode her way over to Wrex and the large red Krogan took notice of her direct approach.

"Urdnot Wrex," Zharia declared her voice rising in strength above the chaos. "I request a Rite of Honour."

The whole camp went silent and turned to look at her. Wrex met her halfway. "What makes you think you have that authority?"

The scholar in her heart kicked into gear. "There is nothing in the rules of the Rite that say the taker must be a Krogan. I demand to take the Rite so that you will respect what Janix and I have to say to you. You've made it very clear that our words mean nothing to you so far."

"You think this will change that," Wrex demanded of her.

"It must," she replied definitively. "When I pass the Rite all I ask is that you listen to our reasons for coming here and that you see the truth in them."

Wrex laughed and clapped her on the shoulder almost knocking her to the side. "You've got a quad kid I'll give you that. Alright, the Rite is yours to take. Anyone who can come out of this alive is at least worthy to sit in talks with."

"What is going on? What is the Rite of Honour?" Janix ran up to the female shaman who looked at him with eyes that showed her great respect for the Asari's actions.

"The Rite of Honour is one of our oldest traditions. Usually blooded krogan's would go through this rite in order to either change clans or prove their worth to their existing clan leader when their honour was in question. It shows the testers worthiness. If your friend completes this challenge it will prove to Wrex and the rest of the clan that she and her krantt can be trusted."

Janix stared at the brave Asari in pure astonishment. She must be hoping that this will convince Wrex to accept their words.

"What...what does this Rite in tale?"

"Her worthiness is not for Wrex to decide. That is only one will. It will be decided by the temper of Tuchanka itself. If Tuchanka finds her worthy then we must accept her judgement." Bakara's gaze returned to the spot where Zharia and Wrex stood discussing the finer details of the Rite with each other. "She will go into the desert with only one other, one who has already proven themselves worthy, to witness this act. And she will remain out there for three days and nights. If in that time one of Kalros' children has not come to challenge her then that means Tuchanka has found her unworthy and she must accept death for her shame."

"One of Kalros' children?," Janix dared to ask.

Bakara cleared her throat and made the correction for the rest so that the Salarian could understand. "However, if in that time a thresher maw does appear to challenge her then she must survive it by herself in combat for whatever amount of time is deemed by the leader. If she survives then Tuchanka has deemed her and her krantt worthy of her honour."


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE - Rite of Honour**

_"In the darkest hour, there is always a way out." - Urdnot Bakara (Eve)_

* * *

Grunt cursed his timing. If he had returned to Camp sooner he would have been there to catch Jurdon leading Werloc and Gatatog to conquer his home. Over and over in his mind he played through what he would've done if he had caught them. The ways he would've peeled off their hides and broke their limbs. A deep chuckle vibrated in his throat and his fists clenched in anticipation. Next time. Next time he'd have their blood to paint his armor with. His laugh dissipated into a growl as he was reminded of where his timing had him now. It had him babysitting.

Wrex had bestowed him with the lovely fantastic privilege of being the Krogan to escort the Asari on her Rite of Honour. Wrex had insisted that this was because Grunt was a trustworthy Krogan who had already proved himself against a thresher maw. Grunt had accepted the praise with pride but still believed this task to be nothing more than glorified babysitting.

He waited irritably at the borders of Urdnot's camp for the Asari to join him so that he could lead her out into the wastes to meet her demise. He had no faith in her ability to complete this challenge which made him feel even more like he was wasting his time.

She had been discussing something with the Salarian for awhile now and he'd been forced to watch that pathetic varren of hers pout at her feet. After a moment it looked like the Asari was about to go in for a hug but instead thought better of it and held out her hand. The Salarian shook it firmly and lingered for a moment before letting go. She crouched down and held her varren for a moment as it whimpered and tried to press against her side like it never wanted to let go. Without anymore hesitation she straightened up and made her way towards Grunt. Her features were solemn as she approached him but he could still read it on her face; she believed that she would come back from this challenge about as much as he did.

"Try to die sooner rather than later," he told her as they started their long trek into the desert.

"I'll do my best," she promised him sourly.

Grunt considered her for a moment. He'd seen many Asari in his days but only closely interacted with a few. He'd met Samara near the end of their suicide mission. They hadn't really worked together too much but he had seen enough. His feelings about the Justicar had been mixed. Her biotic powers had always made him respect her but he certainly never agreed with her Justicar code. She had the power to explode someone's skull but no will to use it unless they crossed certain parts of her code.

He had met Liara once or twice but never for very long. She was the Shadow Broker and she hadn't reached her position of power by being a push over. He recognised immense power in her as well and according to Shepard Liara had had quite the temper as well. However she still preferred her studies to combat. Yet another Asari with potential who had let it go to waste.

He respected their power; but he had no respect for them as individuals. To have all that strength and no will to use it. They were pathetic. All the other Asari he'd encountered either sold their bodies for entertainment and sex or were pathetic little merchants with all the with all the prowess of a retarded Turian baby.

He doubted very much that this Asari would show him anything different. If she was worth even half as much as Samara or Liara she wouldn't have ended up on such a run down little ship.

Grunt's eyes darted to the Asari at his side and he watched her with a morbid curiosity. The eye on his side was a dull clean white that bore no emotion towards him. Had he not seen the Tuchanka sun reflecting off of it like it did off the barrel of his shotgun he might have believed it to be her real eye. But those small glistens brought to light its synthetic origins. He wondered if it would be of any use to her in the upcoming battle.

Sensing his look Zharia turned to look at him for a moment and their eyes clashed. "Something you need," she demanded. All the uncertainty she had in herself broke through the cracks of her voice and Grunt didn't bother to hide his laughter.

"Yeah a glass of rynecol," he joked. "You and I both know we're wasting our time here."

She grimaced. "Maybe," she agreed. "But you have no idea what's at stake if our mission fails."

"Oh ya? And what would that be?"

She shot him a look of all seriousness considering the tank bred for a moment. "If I survive this I'll tell you," she promised.

"And when you don't?"

Zharia turned away from him and he watched the wind swirl up the dust in front of her ignoring the pessimistic Krogan as best she could. She already didn't have high hopes for her odds of survival and didn't need to keep being reminded of how low they were. She remembered reading about the Krogan's Rites; most found some way to involve a Thresher Maw. It made sense as they believed Kalros was the mother of Tuchanka. But she also knew that though many Krogan survived the encounter the amount that actually killed a Thresher Maw were far and few between. She worried that being an Asari she would have to go the one step further and kill one to earn their respect. She breathed a quiet sigh and pushed away those thoughts. Wrex was a leader of his word; he would still sit in talks with them as long as she survived.

As long as she survived...

She thought back a few years. Would she have done the same thing then? Perhaps.

It felt like they'd been walking for hours when Grunt finally stopped allowing Zharia to continue forward. She glanced back at him and realised that they had finally reached their spot. She walked farther away from him and settled herself onto the stand. Without hesitation she took up position and began to meditate allowing her biotic energy to swim around her body. She, unlike many Asari, didn't believe in the Goddess. However she did believe in the spiritual peace. She'd found meditation many times kept her mind at easy and allowed her to delve deeper into her thoughts to avoid confusion. Perhaps there she'd find her courage and her strength.

* * *

_Zharia expelled dirt from her lungs as she stumbled to her feet. Her unit; where were they? She was tempted to yell out for them but knew that if the vorcha pack was still near they would tear her apart. She looked around for the spare thermal clips that were once at her belt only to find emptiness. She would have to ration her last few shots then. The jungle seemed much larger than it had been when they first landed but she knew that was just a trick her mind had been playing on her._

_She wished for a moment she'd trained as a technician or an engineer; she'd heard that they had a cloaking ability that she would have killed for right now. She felt like she was being preyed upon. Like everyone out there could see her through the trees while she was stuck in the dark. Her dark blue eyes darted around the forest as biotic energy swarmed around her hands for a quick defense. She wouldn't be going down easy._

_The trees behind her rustled and she spun around only to watched the branches swing._

_"Dammit," she hissed and she spun once more trying to catch whatever was hunting her._

_She backed up trying to keep her eyes the on the still vibrating trees when she felt the need to curse her luck again. A cold barrel pressed against the small of her back and she flinched in response. Zharia readied herself for a biotic attack when she heard the click of two more guns._

_"Lower your energy Asari," a voice commanded. It sounded Salarian. But she wasn't stupid she did as she was told._

_Her biotic energy dissipated and she raised her hands in surrender. "What's a Salarian doing here?"_

_"We should be asking the same of an Asari."_

_"I'm here under orders from the Asari Diplomat," she admitted._

_"The Asari have no claim to this world; this is vorcha territory."_

_"Yeah and neither do the Salarians," she snapped back. "So I guess we're both sticking our nose into the Turian's business. The Primarch requested help from the Asari." She dropped the bait of the Turian's name and waited to see. It wasn't entirely impossible that the Turians had asked the Salarian's for help as well and she wouldn't kill potential allies. But if they got violent at the mention then chances were they were working with the Vorcha instead. She waited for a moment and relaxed slightly when she felt the gun come off her back._

_"Then we're here for the same reasons. Where's the rest of your unit?"_

_"Not sure," she admitted as she turned around. "We were ambushed by a vorcha pack. One of my commandos panicked and created a biotic explosion. Turns out we were near a small cliff. Myself and a couple others took a tumble but when I finally hit ground I was solo."_

_Standing before her were three Salarian's armed to the teeth. The one in the center held his hand out. "Janix Athi, Salarian STG."_

* * *

The ground rumbled below her and Zharia snapped out of her memories. She glanced around for any indication of Grunt but found none; she wasn't sure if he was just that good at hiding or if he just assumed the best a saved himself the time by heading back to camp. She slowly rose to her feet as the ground below her trembled and the sand bit into her teeth. She wiped her hand on her dirty commando outfit and prepared herself for a fight that she knew she wasn't ready for. Many Krogan wandered the wastes for weeks until starvation weakened their body to a point where even a pyjak could best them. The blue creature had known that thrasher maws were predators not investigators. During her studies she had found the maws to be fascinating. They reminded her of the sharks that inhabited primitive Earth living in a sea of sand instead of water. They simply cruised their territory endlessly but ever alert. But just like the shark they couldn't possibly be aware of every little creature that shared their space. Something needed to draw it. Blood stained the ground at her feet from where she had cut her palm. The fragrant liquid had spread through the sand and the thrasher maws powerful sense had picked up the smell from miles away.

The vibrations pulled through her boots and for a moment she questioned her resolve. As a feeling of death spread over her she wondered what hell she was doing here; throwing her life away because Janix has decided that this was their responsibility. She had nothing to do with this. Her breath caught in her throat as the vibrations grew stronger in an attempt to bring her to her knees and a sudden calm came over here. She was here because it was the right thing to do. It needed to be done and they were the ones who had to do it.

Grunt watched the Thresher Maw shake itself out of the crumbles of the sand as it slithered into the air. Didn't matter how many of those things he'd seen in his time his scales itched with excitement every time. The thrill of challenging a maw was something very few battles could match. His blood warmed as he watched it rear and bow to the diminished Asari figure. Its mandibles pulled wide to reveal its large toothed gullet as it released deep guttural bellow. Saliva flung from mouth with its breath and showered the Asari as it stared down at her with a hungry look.

He would have been surprised that a Thresher Maw would have even noticed her much less made such a show of coming to investigate. But he had seen her little trick. The small cut she had inflicted on herself was a good idea. Grunt had been able to smell it from there. It reeked of fear and despair but as he inhaled deeper he smell something else. Not as potent. A trickle of determination. It was small and it was insignificant but it was there and burning.

And she had two minutes to prove that it was worth something.

The thresher maw didn't waste any more time and it threw its body down into the sand towards her. She rolled to the side narrowly avoiding the attack and its belly slammed into the ground as it refused to submerge itself for the sake of being able to quickly move in for another attack. It twisted along the ground to rear up alongside her as its body curled around. But she was fast; faster than Grunt had expected. Her body coiled with the muscle that was only brought on through years of intense training. She spun around and threw a small biotic blast at the snarling beast testing its armor. To his surprise it flinched but it was not deterred. It landed on the ground beside her and he watched it burrow back into the sand. It wasn't done.

He watched the Asari with curiosity. Her body crouched down and wound up like a varren ready to pounce. She arched her back and was almost on all fours as she waited for the maw to attack. She was smart not using her guns; there weren't enough thermal clips on her belt to do anything but piss it off and it would take precious seconds to holster them and keep reloading.

She didn't have to wait too long for the thresher maw to return. The ground around her feet shattered as the thresher burst up through the sand filling its mouth with it. Zharia nearly fell into the depths herself before she erupted with a barrier and filled the maw's jaw like a cork. Its mandibles flared as it roared in anger and frustration and lashed its head back and forth in an attempt to dislodge her from its jaw. With precision and timing she dropped her barrier and flew clear of what many would have referred to as the sharp end. She tucked and rolled as her biotic powers slowed her speed and she turned to face to the creature. However she wasn't prepared for the maw to be just as fast. Instead of throwing its body into the attack this time it took one of its large pincer arms and slashed at her with it. Taken by surprise she wasn't ready to dodge and the arm threw her body to the side like a rag doll.

Grunt bellowed with laughter at the sight and watched her stumble back to her feet. The maw had obviously wasted enough of its time on the minuscule creature and its body twitched and convulsed as it began to cough acid at her. Grunt analysed her body stance; she was bent over, leaning to one side and he could see was resisting the urge to clutch at her ribs. Her leg had been crippled and her ribs damaged. He was too far away to judge if there might have been any internal bleeding.

Unable to properly dodge anymore she threw up another barrier to hide behind and the seconds ticked down in his head. Even if the two minutes passed and she survived he would not take her back to camp. Not if her survival had been dependent on her hiding behind her biotic shield the entire time. As if hearing his thoughts she made her final stand. As the maw reared back to vomit at her again she dropped her barrier in the middle of its movement and summoned a singularity up by its head. The beast was far too big to be taken in by such a move and instead became annoyed and went to move in for a final bite. Without hesitation she summoned up one last attack bringing a warp into the same area. The result was a biotic explosion that left the maw howling as blood trickled from its side. The explosion had blown one of its mantis arms clean off but had left the rest of its tough shell unscathed.

Zharia watched as the monster slithered back into the ground and the sand fell back into place as if it had never been there. The rumbling faded beneath her and without even waiting to see whether or not it was a charade she fell to the ground and finally allowed the pain to sear through her body. She hadn't gotten her barrier up in time and sprinkles of the maw's acid breath had managed to sneak through. It burned in flecks at her skin while the pain in her leg pulsed through to her skull. She must have been standing on it wrong when the thresher maw hit her because her leg had been snapped sideways in the fall. Her ribs were bruised and but luckily she'd had enough body armor on that it didn't feel like any of them were broken. Her breath fell heavy in her lungs as she closed her eyes and cursed herself. She'd gone soft in her years; if she hadn't been wearing those gauntlets she doubted that her technique would have still done as much damage.

"Looks like you made it kid." Grunt's voice would have startled the poor Asari but she was far too busy trying to melt into the sand.

She turned to look at him and her pride started swelling to the surface. She was an ex commando and she'd survived much worse. Zharia struggled back to her feet and held herself as best she could in front of the Krogan warrior.

"Damn rights I did," she lied. "It'd take more than an overgrown worm with an acid reflex issue to take me down." She chuckled as she said it unable to keep a straight face.

"Well if you'd like then we can stay out here," Grunt offered with a superior smirk. "You really think a missing arm will slow down a maw? All you've down is piss it off."

Zharia hesitated for a moment and considered that before coughing quietly on the dust and pulling herself onto her feet to cradle her injured leg. "We should probably start heading back."

She stumbled pathetically behind him only worsening her injury as she tried to prove her strength to the Krogan. Grunt watched her for a moment before he stepped over to help her. Krogan had krantt for a reason; because you couldn't always be strong on your own. He himself had leaned on Shepard more than once both emotionally and physically. He also didn't expect an Asari to have the same strength as a Krogan. She looked at him curiously as he pulled her up to use his arm as support.

"I believe you promised you'd tell me something if you survived," Grunt said in attempt to break the tension that was slowly growing.

She cleared her throat awkwardly as she accepted his help with relief. "Yes yes I did. I guess I never expected to have to keep it. But I guess that's what our mission is all about. Doing the impossible, exceeding our limits... it's exactly what she did." She looked up at him thoughtfully. "She always did things that no one believed she could."

* * *

"Stop it already," Wrex commanded irritably. "I'm trying to build my camp back up and you're going to wear a hole in it."

Janix flinched at the bark and did his best to stop pacing but began fidgeting instead. He twitched his fingers anxiously as he used all his will to stand still. The female shaman placed a gentle hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm his soul.

"Breathe easy my friend," she comforted. "All will turn out as it should."

"You don't know that," he couldn't help but snap back. Salarian lives were short in comparison to the rest of the galaxy and Zharia had been a close friend through most of his short life. The thought of losing her was almost unbearable.

"I do," she replied with a knowing grin. "I do not believe that the spirits would have endowed you with such a mission had they intended your failure."

"With such a..." He looked at the Krogan quizzically feeling as if she knew far more than she was letting on.

She ignored his inquiry and nodded towards the desert drawing his attention. Zharia limped through the dust cloud clinging heavily to Grunt's arm as the Krogan kept to a slow enough pace that she could follow along. Her face was twisted into a grimace of pain as she struggled along through the dirt. Zhorn yelped and barked in excitement as he pushed past Wrex's legs to bound to his master's side. Janix found himself following suite.

"Zharia!," he exclaimed excitedly as he pulled the Asari from Grunt's side so she could rest on him instead. "I can't believe you're alive."

She coughed and glared at him. "Thanks for the vote of confidence." Though she couldn't deny in her heart that she didn't really think she was going to be coming back from the rite either.

The Salarian chuckled sadly as he held her from the ground in shaking arms. He had been afraid that he might lose his best friend to those sands and to have her back was almost more relief than knowing that their mission wasn't a failure. Grunt looked at the two of them curiously but chose to ignore it as Wrex strode up to them holding his arms out welcomingly.

"You made it!" he bellowed in excitement. "You proved us all wrong." He considered her quivering form for a moment before gesturing for Janix to let her go. "Grunt, take her to get fixed up. I believe the Salarian and I have something to discuss."

Janix reluctantly returned his friend to the Krogan's care so that he could follow Wrex into what he was using as his makeshift shelter for the time being. It was a small tent held up against the shattered wall of what he could only assume had once been a building.

It felt strange knowing that they'd jumped their first hurdle in the mission. That they were one step closer. Wrex took a seat across from him and waiting for the Salarian to seat himself on the ground as well.

"You have surrounded yourself with a good crew," Wrex complimented Janix. "She challenged that rite knowing that you might need to continue on without her."

"Yes," Janix admitted. He had accepted the fact that she was willing to sacrifice herself for a mission that he had volunteered them for. "I'm aware. She's a great soldier. And an even better friend."

Wrex chuckled at the answer as it brought back memories of his adventures on the Normandy and the comradery he had found by accident on that ship. "Well if she's such a great friend pyjak tell me, what would have made her sacrifice worth it?"

Janix stared at his hands for a moment as he twiddled his thumbs in the moment of anticipation. This was his moment of truth his first step towards their goal.

"We're on a mission to save Commander Shepard," Janix told him bluntly. Wrex went silent and Janix took the cue to continue. "We're here to ask for your help."

"I think you're going to need to do some explaining," Wrex told him as he leaned forward. Janix gulped at the threatening posture the Krogan took. Wrex was giving him a chance but he was clearly not impressed. The Krogan was obviously very protective of his friend and Janix knew that if he couldn't tread carefully it wouldn't matter that Zharia had passed the Rite Wrex wouldn't hesitate to choke him until it decapitated him.

"Just recently my crew and I were...scavenging the Citadel for whatever we could find. Anything useful or of value. When we were there someone found Shepard's body."

"Someone," Wrex growled as he started to make a move towards the Salarian who raised his hands in surrender.

"Not us. That's why we need your help. Cerberus took her. They were there too." Janix lowered his hand cautiously. "But...she wasn't dead. Before they got her we overheard them checking her vital signs. Wrex...Shepard was still alive. We..we tried to stop them but we just weren't enough. They took her anyway." Janix stood up carefully to try and make himself appear slightly bigger and more intimidating. "Our mission is to save her." Wrex leaned back as the information sank in and a look of awe started snaking its way across his face. "But we need help. We were obviously no match against even a small batch of Cerberus we'd be next to useless trying to invade their base. We have some connections of our own but still we figured that no one would be better for helping than Shepard's old crew. That's why we're here. To ask for your help."

"Why us first," Wrex demanded. "You obviously haven't tried anywhere else or I would've had a familiar face to convince me you're not a liar."

Janix laughed nervously. "You think I wanted this to be my first stop? I worked with Mordin on the modification project," he confessed to the leader. "My crew was betting on how you guys would kill me when I landed. I nearly died when the Shadow Broker gave me yours and Grunt's dossiers."

"The Shadow Broker sent you to us?" Wrex's tone changed curiously as stood up and began circling the flustered Salarian.

"Yes. We had no idea where to start finding Shepard's crew. So we went to an information broker. The Shadow Broker contacted us directly said that he would only give us your two dossiers and we wouldn't be worthy of the others unless we could recruit you."

"Interesting," Wrex mused as he paced. Excitement burned through his blood at the thought of Shepard still being alive. His old friend, his comrade, still breathing after this time. The burn quickly turned to rage at the thought of Cerberus putting their grubby hands back on her. Those filthy little worms. What were they doing to her? What could they possibly want with her? Hadn't they ruined enough?

He couldn't hold his emotions back and a roar erupted from his lungs before he stop it. He threw his head forward and smashed a section of the room to rubble in his fury causing the tent to shift downwards. It bothered him even more that he couldn't help. He was just rebuilding his race and the alliances. And with Hyat trying to move in and take over he couldn't risk leaving that space empty. Shepard meant the world to him but he also knew she would have pistol whipped him if he threw away everything he'd achieved for her.

"Dammit," he cursed again before turning his growling head back to the Salarian. "You swear? You swear on your Asari's life that you're not lying? That Shepard is alive?"

"I can swear to you I know what I saw. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't sure."

"Damn," he swore again as he paced. He believed him. He knew Liara was the Shadow Broker. She wouldn't have given them the dossiers if she didn't believe in their cause even just a little bit. And if Liara trusted them enough to help them then he would have to as well. But his Clan, his race... "I can't ," he cursed.

"You can't?"

"No, I can't leave Tuchanka right now. I can't risk it."

Janix's face fell in defeat. If Wrex wouldn't go he wondered what chance they had of convincing Grunt...

"I understand," he replied solemnly.

He went to leave when Wrex continued. "I said not right now." He pointed at the Salarian in almost an accusatory stance. "But you damn well better let me know when you're ready to charge into Cerberus headquarters. I want a piece of them."

Janix's mouth quirked into a half smile at the Krogan leader. "I wouldn't dare leave you behind Wrex thank you."

Wrex grunted in reply and nodded to him. "Grunt may be one of my best soldiers but you can have him. He's still got a lot to learn that Tuchanka can't teach him." Wrex wanted at least one Krogan on this mission to make sure it went properly.

"Thank you again Wrex." Janix almost hesitated but he held out his hand to the leader.

Wrex considered shaking the Salarian's hand but then decided against it. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for Shepard."

Janix dropped his hand quickly and nodded to him instead. "Still thank you for your support." He turned to leave the small room to find Zharia and his guilt choked him. Perhaps when this was all done he would come back here. He didn't have much but he had a few favors left in the world and he might be able to use a few to help Wrex rebuild. He considered mentioning it to Wrex but decided better of it. He could tell the old warrior needed to be left alone for some time to let his emotions fall.

He made his way across the desolate field ignoring the Krogan eyes that fell on him without discretion. His posture was erect as his confidence was renewed.

"Janix." The voice pulled his attention and he watched as the female shaman approached him.

"Ah...miss," he said awkwardly in greeting not knowing what name or term would be proper to use.

"I was hoping to speak with you once more before you left Captain," she greeted him.

"Oh really?"

"Yes. I have something for you." She approached him casually and held out her hand to him.

"A hand shake?" His tone was curious as he tilted his head.

"Yes. Wrex may be too stubborn but I know a friend when I see one. And the Krogan are in no place to let pride turn one away."

Janix smiled and gripped her outstretched hand. "This means a lot to me," he admitted. The gesture may have seemed small but the intangible gesture behind it was what warmed his heart.

She nodded her head to him. "May your travels be swift, your enemies be strong and your shots be sure Captain."

It wasn't much but the support of such an important member of the clan lifted his spirits even more. Zharia was waiting for him by the shuttle as the mechanic added the finishing touches to its hull. Zhorn was curled at her feet and Grunt stood by her side.

"Did they get you all patched up?"

She shrugged. "The guy is good. I hardly feel a thing now. I think now my pride hurts the most." The pain in her leg had been a torn ligament. Painful to stand on but far quicker to heal especially with the medic's assistance.

Janix turned to Grunt who held his gaze without fear. "Grunt. I spoke to Wrex."

"I don't care what he says," Grunt told him simply. "He is my clan leader, my friend. But Shepard is my Battlemaster. Saving her life is worth losing my place here."

Janix's face twisted curiously before Zharia spoke up. "It was a long walk back. I told him everything. I had promised him I would."

Janix nodded his head in acceptance; Zharia took her promises very seriously no matter how small. "Well don't worry," Janix assured him. "Wrex fully supports you leaving to help us save Shepard."

Grunt nodded but had nothing more to say on the subject. He wasn't there to make nice. Shepard was his Battlemaster and his krantt. She was his closest friend. He was here to help her and he had no intentions of making friends along the way. If they could work together, good; if they got in his way, even better. Either way he would save Shepard.

Janix accepted his silence and sent a transmission back to the Astrea. "Nitall. We're coming back." His smile and relief could be heard easily in his voice. "And Grunt is coming with us."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR - Found You**

_"I think I'm going to employ violence." - Aria T'Loak_

* * *

Liara breathed a heavy sigh of relief as she intercepted Janix's transmission to the Astrea. Her faith in their mission had not been misplaced. She knew that the Krogan were not a trusting people due to a history of betrayal; that had been her real test by sending them to Tuchanka. If the Krogan could find the means to trust them then it shouldn't be an issue for herself.

Her fingers scanned the keypad sending out a coded signal to Feron's receiver. They didn't have time to spare in getting the team together to go help Shepard. She heard the almost silent change in background static click in and began talking after hearing his cautious and quiet go ahead.

"They managed to get Grunt," she informed him. "I don't know about Wrex but they're making progress. I'm going to send you the dossier on Garrus now. He'd want to be the first to know."

"_Alright_," he confirmed.

"There are a couple more stationed on the same planet as him as well so I'll add their dossiers."

"_Of course_," Feron replied sternly as she sent the information to him.

"I will contact you in a bit to see how the transmission goes, there's a couple of things I need to take care of."

She cut the call to him and turned to a different console to continue mapping out how she would direct this crew to carry out her mission. Liara's thoughts barely had time to organize themselves before her terminal lit up with another transmission. Panic curled through her; Feron knew better than to contact her directly and the transmission hadn't needed approval before displaying. She turned in slow fear fueled anticipation to the hollow screen and her face twisted in anger to try and hide her fear.

"How did you find me," she demanded.

The woman on the display smiled coldly at the Asari. She was obviously human but shadows hid most of her face except for the small glint from her eyes.

"_Liara T'soni_." Shit. Whoever it was knew her. Knew exactly who they were looking for. They weren't just looking for the Shadow Broker. It also hinted that her confronter could probably see her as well meaning that they'd wormed their way past all of her firewires.

"How did you find me," Liara demanded once again as she walked over to the image.

"_You made it easy,_" the woman admitted with a shrug. "_By being the worst Shadow Broker ever._"

The accusation stung Liara's pride; she felt she was quite good at being an information broker. Not just any one THE information broker. In fury she began to dance her fingers across the keypad in an attempt to cancel the transmission and possibly retrace it to its source.

The woman scoffed and shook her head. "_You're a fool T'soni. You're a good broker and even better at hiding. But you're not very good at keeping your emotions in check. Maybe if you'd been smart enough to withdraw yourself from the situation we might never have discovered you were the broker and found you._"

"Remove myself..." Liara's mind raced. She'd done everything right. She'd been careful and diligent. This was Shepard they were talking about. It'd only been a few days since the fall of the Reapers they couldn't expect...

The woman backed away from the receiver enough to hide her features entirely in the dark buzzing blue hologram but also enough for Liara to make out the Cerberus logo on the front of her armor.

"By the goddess," Liara swore despite herself and her hands fell still.

The woman's smile broadened. Just like every Cerberus soldier she loved knowing that she had the upper hand. "_That little band shot at us Miss T'soni so it wasn't like we didn't know that they had been there. It was very probable that they were just scavengers in the wrong place at the wrong time. But do you really think any Cerberus Commander worth her salt would just make that assumption._"

Liara considered that for a moment and cursed herself for having not realised it sooner. She was so sure that if Cerberus was after the Commander they wouldn't have wasted their time with a little scavenger group. Something else didn't make sense. "Then why not just kill them and be sure? Why let them fly off?"

"_Because T'soni. You, better than anyone, know how valuable a good reputation is. If they were going to come back for us then we would have solved the problem. However, nothing spreads information like the underworld pipeline. Cerberus can always use a few more members and all the better if you alien scum are made aware that even the great Commander Shepard couldn't take us down. A little cannon fodder and a little fear. When they docked at Illium we almost decided to leave them alone. But that's when something interesting happened. The Shadow Broker contacted them and next thing we know they're making a straight path to Tuchanka. Now that doesn't make any sense for a little band of miscreants now does it._"

"No.." Liara's disbelieve was imminent.

"_And intercepting every transmission,_" the Cerberus Commander added for insult. "_You thought you were so brilliant T'soni. All you Asari think so. You all think you're so much better than the rest of us. Especially the little pink creatures new to the system that rose up so quickly. But that's your flaw. Your pride. You Asari can always be counted on to let your pride get you killed._" The commander checked the fingers on her hand as a deliberate action of clear boredom even though she was fully armored and couldn't see her fingernails. "_I suggest you say good bye to Feron._"

The words were cold and bit into Liara's heart with such an intensity. "How do you know about Feron?!" The desperation and urgency was clear in Liara's voice. "Damn you how do you know?"

"_That's none of your business Asari and I'm done with this conversation now. You really are so emotional. It makes you stupid._" The woman's grin returned. "_You didn't think I called just to chat did you?_" The transmission cut in a blur of bright blue static.

Liara's face brimmed with horror at the realization. They'd been monitoring transmissions from the Astrea to make sure that they weren't up to anything. Feron had contacted them directly and even though it was from a channel that Liara herself had encrypted her heart sank at the realization that they had still traced it back to him. And then all they had to do was wait until Liara contacted him again to make the connection to Liara herself. The Cerberus Commander hadn't called to chat at all but Liara had been so sure of herself she thought she was untouchable. She looked at the keypad and her hands fell away. She let that Cerberus bitch get under her skin and distract her from finishing the code. If she'd only kept her emotions in check she might've been able to stop it.

They had contacted her, kept her hanging on, so that they could track her down. Normally a process like that would have taken moments of connection but with how Liara had encrypted her transmission signal and rerouted it they needed to keep connected to her longer. They had her. They had her location and she knew she didn't have a lot of time before they would be here. They probably had a squad headed for Feron and the Astrea at that moment.

* * *

"_I'm sending the next dossier to you now,_" the Shadow Broker's voice announced over the intercom as the crew crowded around Nitall's terminal.

She pulled the file up on another screen and Janix examined the scarred Turian. Garrus Vakarian.

"_There's another-_"

Another signal tore through the Shadow Broker's voice breaking up their conversation. "Feron you have to get out!"

Janix was taken aback and looked back to his crew and Grunt to see if that made any sense to them. Perhaps someone had gotten on the wrong channel?

_"You too Janix._" Nope, not a coincidence.

_"I don't have much time. Cerberus knows everything. They're after me and they're after you. Feron, I've wiped my computers and transferred everything to you."_

"_I..I..._"

"_Keep safe Feron. Meet up with someone if you can. Stay safe. Janix you need to keep going. I got careless. Cerberus is coming after you as well because they're scared. I'm going to make a run for it I'll meet up with you if I can. But you guys need to keep moving they're probably listening to this right now._"

The transmission cut short leaving the crew in a stunned silence.

"You're ... you're not the Shadow Broker are you?"

"_No_," Feron admitted. "_That was the real Shadow Broker. A close personal friend._"

Janix looked to Raythe and Nitall who took the silent command and immediately went to work at separate consoles. The blue and yellow lights danced across their features as they pulled through different radars and reports.

"They're not following close enough that I can pick up on their Mass Effect field," Nitall told him instantly. "Just close enough to follow our residual trail and monitor transmission. They're far enough away we might have a fighting chance."

Raythe nodded. "Confirmed. By my calculations once we hit a relay all it would take is a total of three jumps before our trail would become indistinguishable I would suggest four just to be safe but we can make it."

"No," Janix declared. The offer was tempting but he knew that running now would jeopardize everything that they were working for. He turned back to the terminal. "Feron where are you?"

"_What_?"

"You heard me. I don't know who you are but you're obviously a friend. We're coming to get you."

Feron was silent for a moment before the disguised voice broke through again. "_I'm on Omega. But I can't tell you where just in case Cerberus doesn't know my exact location. I'm going to stay hidden. I'll keep an ear out for you though_."

The transmission ended and Janix turned to his crew. "We don't have much time. If Cerberus was eaves dropping they're going to try and beat us to Omega."

"We're sure that was the REAL Shadow Broker and not someone from Cerberus trying to spook us," Zharia asked as she looked around. "My unit and I did it all the time; it's called herding. They might just be trying to get us all in the same place and no one is going to ask questions on Omega."

The crew went quiet for a moment considering the statement before Grunt shook his massive head. "No, I knew that voice. She's a friend."

"We'll take your word for it Grunt," Janix announced. "Do you know Feron as well?"

"I've met him once."

"Would he remember you?"

Grunt scoffed. "If me and Shepard weren't there he would've had a fried brain. He damn well better."

"Good. You'll be part of the ground team then. If he knows you then we'll need you on Omega so he knows we're friends and he'll feel better approaching us." Grunt nodded and Janix turned to the rest of his crew. "Zharia you'll accompany him as will you Raythe. Nitall and I will stay here and keep guard on the ship while it's docked." He turned to Zharia. "I'd like to keep Zhorn here as well if you can arrange that; he'd be a great help guarding the ship."

She nodded that she would take care of it and Janix turned to Nitall. "Get us there," he commanded.

* * *

The crowds of Omega swarmed around the small trio as they made their way from the docks to the heart of the underworld. Afterlife. Feron had said he was going to stay in hiding and there was only one person on all of Omega that knew where every breath on the station came from.

Zharia looked at the Quarian skeptically. "I really should insist that you stay with us Raythe. Omega has been on edge since it was freed. I'd feel a lot better if I could keep an eye on you."

"You don't think I can take care of myself?" His tone was beyond indignant. He really wanted to go to the shops and see what he could find.

She shrugged and turned from him. "You're welcome to try. All those parts you're looking for are in the market district just past the residential area. I think there was a plague there once. Deathly thing. Killed everyone infected and the only ones immune were humans."

"That's what Mordin told me," Grunt agreed with a devious smile on his scaled lips. "Actually, I think I remember an Elcor having a Quarian slave somewhere around there."

"No kidding," Zharia questioned in mock disbelief. "Is that the same area where the Blood Pack tried to assassinate that Krogan warlord?"

"Patriarch? Exact same area."

Raythe nearly choked on his filtered air and attempted to correct himself. "I think it'd be best if we stuck together in case we need to make a quick getaway." He gulped and looked around now terribly apprehensive of the warm bodies that pushed past his. "Why in the world would he hide out in a place like this?"

"Safest place in the galaxy right now," Zharia replied simply. "Aria had it stolen from her during the Reaper attacks so she's been on a bit of a protective warpath since. And all the citizens here are usually armed even if they aren't always dangerous. And they all hate Cerberus."

"Sounds like my kind of place," Raythe laughed. He wasn't terribly excited about facing Cerberus. After hearing about all the horrible things they'd done to their own kind he'd hate to see what they'd do to the aliens they hated so much.

"Sure if you like booze, sex, and weapons."

"Who doesn't?" Raythe joked trying to ease his own fears.

They approached the guard and the Batarian scowled at them. "Aria isn't accepting visitors right now," he growl at them. "Go back to whatever hole you crawled out of."

In the midst of a second Grunt thrust himself forward and smashed his head into the Batarian's crumpling the heavily armed man. Raythe stepped carefully over the heaped body as the trio made their way up the stairs to Aria's throne. The threatening click of guns being readied echoed around them the minute they broke through to the upper level.

"Stand down." Aria's command resounded with a power that most would never hear in a life time; laced with unwavering confidence and an unanswered hate.

She stood before them in all her strength and glory silhouetted by the bright lights of afterlife as her eyes bore down on them with judgement. The guards obeyed her grudgingly and lowered their weapons allowing the small group to approach Aria.

"Well well well look what the vorcha dragged through my door." Aria sat down and crossed her legs as she leaned back against the soft back of the couch. It looked like it had seen much better days but the Asari looked like she'd never felt better.

"Hello T'Loak," Zharia greeted as calmly as she could. The Asari had always felt overcome by Aria's ambition and power; though many would disagree she felt it was something to be greatly admired.

Aria completely ignored the other Asari and turned to Grunt. "So, never thought I would see you here again. Quite the new crowd you've got here."

"Didn't have a choice," Grunt replied. From the stories Shepard had mentioned on the ship Aria sounded like his kind of Asari. Strong and powerful with a blood lust that could never be satisfied. He could see it in her eyes; see how she craved the reverence and respect it brought.

"So it would seem," she agreed. "Still the galaxy feels smaller and smaller every day." She sighed heavily as the small chat came to an end. "What do you want." She snapped her voice laced with boredom.

"We're looking for someone," Zharia told her. "It's actually a matter that might require a little privacy."

Her eyes darted to Aria's bodyguards who looked even more furiously at the group. Aria shrugged. "They know when to keep their mouths shut. If they didn't they wouldn't be of any use to me."

Zharia couldn't help but worry. However she knew arguing with Aria would get them nowhere so she nodded and continued on. "His name is Feron."

"I know who you're talking about," Aria snapped before she leaned back again. "And I know where he is." She looked around skeptically. "But I'm sure one of you must be familiar with the human phrase quid pro quo."

Raythe felt confused for a moment; he'd never heard of that. But then he realised that Zharia would have. As someone who had once devoted their life to studying aliens she may have some across it.

"What is it you want," she demanded all the decency gone from her tone.

"Nothing big I assure you." Her eyes fell to Grunt and she watched the blue eyed beast with that predatory gaze. "But I want you to do it. No questions."

"No," Zharia snapped back without hesitation. "We'll find Feron on our own." She didn't care what it was. There was no reason for Aria to be so vague. So if she was hiding something it meant she was well aware that they wouldn't like the details.

"Good fucking luck," Aria snapped back.

Grunt growled and his snarl turned to Zharia. Raythe instantly bristled with fear despite the fact that the Asari barely flinched. He couldn't tell if she was just hiding it very well or if after facing a Thresher Maw she would not be shaken easily. "I came for one reason only; to save Shepard. You seem to be getting in the way of that."

"Quid pro quo means a favor for a favor. Aria has no problem getting her hands dirty so whatever she wants can't be good or easy and who knows when she'll ask for it." Her gaze fell over to Aria sitting so proudly and nonchalant on her couch. "Whatever she wants..."

"Is none of my business," Grunt snapped. He needed them right now or he would never get to Shepard. So unfortunately snapping her neck like a twig out of frustration wasn't an option. "My business is Shepard." The stupid Asari didn't seem to understand what he risked to come on this mission. Wrex had given him a spot in his clan, a home and a goal. He had worked hard to make his way to be the leader of Wrex's most powerful group of warriors. He had fought rachni and was still alive to see the end of the genophage. He knew all of this. But he also knew that none of it would have been possible without Shepard. If it wasn't for her he would not have been given the opportunity to prove his worthiness and achieve all that he had. He knew that more than anything he owed his Battlemaster his life because without her he doubted that his life would have been worth even half as much. However it definitely helped that Wrex had given him permission to leave. Though he would have given it all up for Shepard regardless it was a relief to know that he didn't need to fight to have something to go back to.

Zharia's cold gaze battled with his own before her fighting spirit curled away in defeat. "Fine," she bit out with resentment. "Whatever you need Aria."

The dictator smirked in victory and stretched her arms out across the back of the couch. "Not now," Aria assured them. "A good investor knows to never cash in on her investments until they're at their most valuable."

Zharia didn't like her logic but she couldn't deny it. Favors from someone with honour were far more valuable than credits some days.

"So where is he then?"

Aria stood up from her couch and wandered to the banister so she could turn her back to the group and over look Afterlife. She watched the people living and thriving below her as she spoke to the small crew.

"The residential district seems to have been overrun by the Blood Pack." She growled and turned her gaze away from them. It almost seemed off handed but she was getting right to the point.

"You don't sound too pleased about that," Zharia observed. "I thought you were in charge of all the gangs."

"The gangs used to be under my thumb. I had them all. Recently the Blood Pack's new leader thought they were too good for that."

"Get to the point," Grunt snapped revealing his eagerness to get on the way.

Aria's face curled in distaste at Grunt's disrespect as she turned to him. "The point, you little worm, is for your own benefit. Don't expect help from anyone but me around here. And I won't be too heartbroken if you happen to show a couple mercenaries how death tastes on your way out." She sneered and turned away from him. "Now get out of my sight."

Raythe hurried out of there into the swarm of lush warm bodies that writhed against him just to get away from the coldness that Aria's presence brought him. He shivered from the change and looked over the Grunt and Zharia. The Asari was visibly irritated while the Krogan seemed to be on his warpath. She reached out and latched onto his arm spinning him to face her.

"Listen," she snarled at him knowing that her voice was hidden from others in the drown of the chaos. "I know you want to help her. To save her. So do we. So take your attitude and stick it up your ass 'cause we don't have time for it."

"You don't even know her," he snapped back. He went to turn from her but she yanked him back around again to face her.

"I don't need to," she yelled at him. "Not to know that saving her is worth my life. So just fucking relax. We're all in this together." She released his arm and finally pushed him away. "We can talk more later." She shrugged off her negative feelings and continued forward.

Grunt looked like he had something to say but held his tongue and followed with Raythe at his side. The Quarian gulped and made a small attempt at conversation.

"What um...what Aria was getting at was that Feron is in the residential area but that we'd have a hard time getting to him because the Blood Pack mercs would probably fight us the whole time."

The Krogan's blue eyes scanned Raythe for a moment before he grunted in response and then continued to stare forward.

* * *

The air in the room was dank and reeked of stale sweat and blood. It chilled the floor and curled around Shepard causing her to shiver and pull the thin shred of cloth she'd been given as a blanket tighter around her shoulders. Her green blue eyes narrowed at the ground where it connected to the energy field that held her at bay as if hating it would make her situation better. A part of her wished that she had died on the Citadel. She was sick and tired of surviving every god damn battle.

After fighting Saren she's still managed to crawl her way out of the debris. After fighting the Collectors she almost hadn't made it out of the base in time. And somehow she'd managed to survive the fall of the Citadel as well.

Her chest heaved with deep forlorn sigh and she found a new empty spot to stare at. The great Commander Shepard capable of anything; except staying dead apparently. She was getting kind of sick of the back and forth and silently wished her fate could just pick one or the other.

She stretched her back against the wall and glared as she heard the stiff click of shoes against the metal. A Cerberus guard stepped into view. Dispite the casual situation he was clad in full Cerberus armor and Shepard almost snickered. She was still focusing on putting enough strength back into her legs to properly use them she didn't have to ability to attack him and make a run from it. He carried with him a small tray of food; the same grey slop she'd been given since she got here.

Shepard had considered not eating but she was stubborn not stupid. She wouldn't have the energy to escape if she starved herself. She hoped that right now she had enough energy to try. She had no idea what she was facing but damned if she'd spend her days a prisoner of Cerberus.

It was always the same during meal times. The same guard would always approach her with a plate of food and cautiously feed it to her. One of the guards had suggested undoing the energy shackles so she could feed herself. He had figured then Shepard, being a creature of honour, would be more likely to see them as humans in the end rather than obstacles. The guard standing before her now didn't believe that at all. He'd heard what Cerberus had done to Shepard over the years. They'd ravaged her whole team on Akuze; they'd pulled her from the dead only to manipulate and betray her, and then they almost ruined her only chance to stop the Reapers. There was no building trust from that. Hell, sometimes he even wondered why he stayed here but the answer was obvious. What they'd do to him if he didn't. He'd joined when he was young and ambitious before Cerberus had sullied their names and he'd been there through it all. Leaving now would cost him more than his pride was worth. At least this way he could visit his family not their graves.

He approached her cautiously as the field holding her at bay diminished and knelt in front her. Her eyes were cold towards him and he couldn't blame her for her feelings. He doubted he'd feel any differently in her position. Cerberus soldiers no longer held a difference to her and in his white and yellow armor he became one of the swarm in her eyes. Cerberus. All just a single entity that needed to be stamped out.

He scooped up some of the gray sludge awkwardly and held it out to her. Their eyes clashed again through his visor and guilt swept up through his throat.

"I'm going to escape from here," she threatened him.

"I know."

* * *

"Dammit," Raythe swore as he took cover from another shot gun blast as an angry Krogan slowly advanced on the group. His incineration blasts continued to bounce off the beast's armor so he had taking to lighting the nearby vorcha on fire instead. Zharia had taken cover across the hall with Grunt covering just beside her.

The Blood Pack had ambushed them in the middle of their trek through the residential district accusing them of being a rival gang trying to intrude on their territory. Zharia had made a small attempt to correct their assumption but after a lewd comment about her breasts she shot a vorcha in the throat and sort of screwed over that plan. He only hoped that Feron hadn't heard the battle and fled to another location.

He looked over the counter of the small kiosk he'd taken cover behind and swore at the Blood pack. "Stop breeding!," he screeched at them in dismay. Where the hell were they all coming from? He felt like every time they shot one down three more respawned in its place.

"Split them up," Grunt howled in command. Raythe had almost forgotten; he read in Grunt's dossier that he had been the leader of Aralakh Company. So he was used to being a leader. And he assumed from what he knew about the Krogan that that meant leading a squad through far more battles than the average soldier.

He wondered if, having worked with nothing but Krogan, Grunt would know how to utilize each team members talents. Raythe himself was useless in close quarters combat. It had nothing to do with his physical status or combat abilities simply the fact that he was a Quarian. All his opponent would have to do is conceal a small blade and slice open his suit and let foreign bacteria do the rest. However he had a range of engineering skills that made him perfect for taking down shields and armor and just causing all around chaos.

Zharia on the other hand, being an ex-Asari commando, was far better rounded in her aspects of fight training. She may not have been strong but she was quick and resourceful and her sniping ability was uncanny. He remembered Nitall once commenting on how unfair it was for a sniper to have a synthetic eye. Zharia had taken obvious offense and replied 'it doesn't matter how far you can see if you don't know how to get your shot there.'

He looked to Zharia to see if she would argue and instead she looked to Grunt for direction.

"Charge them," he commanded her. "We'll cover for you." His gaze then turned to Raythe who nodded his assurance that he would.

Zharia returned the nod and unholstered her shotgun knowing that its scattered shot would be much more desirable once she got in close. Biotic energy swarmed up around her body taking a few Blood Pack members by surprise before her body surged forward in a sudden biotic charge. The resounding energy pulse as she collided with a Krogan in the middle of the group threw a few of the surrounding gang back a few steps and stunned the ones who were too close for their own good. Raythe launched another incineration blast taking down a couple of vorcha while Grunt emptied his thermal clip into the back of a Krogan too close for comfort and Zharia finished off the Krogan she'd landed on. Raythe knew the next few seconds were crucial as a biotic charge diminished the user's barrier leaving them very vulnerable until it charged up again.

Zharia slammed the butt of her shot gun into a vorcha's forehead to stun it before thrusting the muzzle down its gullet. Without even waiting for the remains of its head to fall to the floor she spun herself to face another vorcha still stunned from the original charge and launched her fist into his face. She didn't have the time to spare to load another thermal clip not with her biotic energy only just starting to return to her and build her barrier again. She spun around and launched the back of her heel into his chin resulting in a satisfying crack as his head twisted at an abnormal angle.

Raythe ignited another group of vorcha and whittled them off with his assault rifle as he watched Zharia spin around preparing for another attack.

"Look out," he cried at her.

Her barriers sparked back into place just in time. A large Krogan fired a shotgun blast directly into her chest launching her backwards into the ground. Zharia grunted and gasped as the wind threw itself from her lungs and her head slammed back into the cold floor. Her jaw dropped as she tried to regain her breath and the mercenary leveled his gun at her nose. A roar filled her ears and she watched as Grunt collided with the opposing Krogan throwing him to the ground in a blood rage fury. Raythe yelped in surprise but continued to attack the surrounding vorcha in an attempt to keep them from joining the fray. The Blood Pack Krogan and Grunt tousled on the floor spitting and snarling as they headbutt, scratched, and bit. Zharia pulled herself together and readied a thermal clip for her shotgun but it wasn't needed. Grunt grasped the Krogan's jaw and threw all his bodyweight against it snapping the mercenary's neck. Grunt pulled himself from the corpse and let out a challenging roar that chilled Zharia's blood and sent shivers up her spine. The remaining vorcha hissed as they cowered away from him before fleeing into the bowls of the area. Raythe fired a few shots at their backs taking out what he could before rising from his cover to join the other two where Zharia cautiously got to her feet.

"You guys ok?" Raythe looked between them.

"Fine," Grunt bit back ignoring the blood curling its way out of his neck. He shrugged it off and looked at Zharia expectantly.

"Me too," she replied quickly almost in embarrassment.

"Good to hear," came a tired vibrating male tone. Raythe recognized the thick accent as Drell immediately and they watched as Feron pulled himself from the shadows. Though his clothes were clean and tidy his face looked well worn with the lines of someone with more than their share of worry. "I'm sorry I didn't help," he apologized quietly. "But the Blood pack is for hire. You never know how far Cerberus will reach. I was worried that if they saw me..."

"It doesn't matter," Zharia told him. "What matters is you're here now." It made sense though. The Blood Pack didn't ask questions and Cerberus knew that they couldn't set foot on Omega without Aria and the public hunting them like rabid varren.

"Do you think those Blood Pack members really had no idea who we were?" Raythe looked around curiously.

"I say let's not wait around and find out," Zharia commanded as she turned to lead the way back to the docks.

"Too bad," Grunt chuckled as he cracked the kink out of his neck. "Could've been fun."


	5. Chapter 5

_QUICK AUTHORS NOTE:_

_Once again sorry for the time it takes me to update. I went back and redid a few chapters after I noticed my computer kept changing Nitall to Nikkal. Her name is Nitall so sorry for that confusion. I also changed a little of a Aria's character in the last chapter. Hope you enjoy! Please remember to review :) Or even PM! I love the feed back it makes me happy to sign on and see. Thank you to everyone who has fueled my imagination with their reviews, favs and follows! Thank you all!_

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE - To Palavan**

_"I'm all for second chances. Not so sure about third ones." - Garrus Vakarian_

* * *

Feron's fingers spun around his omnitool as his large eyes scanned its contents in a slow determination. His brow ridge was furrowed in concentration as he sifted through all the files that Liara had transferred to him and his mind traced back to the endangered Asari. His gestures slowed as his mind became once again consumed by her. His worry for her safety overwhelmed him and he could feel the emotion draw its way across his features. He turned his face from Nitall and Janix who were in deep discussion at the Turian pilot's terminal as they scanned the galaxy map. He hoped they weren't observant enough at that moment to notice his distress or discomfort.

His heart had trailed back to the blue creature for some time now though he would never tell her directly. His mind was always filled with her; her face, her smile, her kind words, her strong heart. However, at this moment it was filled with concern for what might have happened to her. She was a more than capable fighter and a brilliant strategist but if she had overlooked enough to be caught then she might be in more trouble than she was prepared for. He wanted to tell Janix to take the ship and to go get Liara but he knew she'd never forgive him if he put off saving Shepard to go help her.

With a sigh that reflected his heavy heart Feron went back to flipping through all the information she had forwarded him. She also seemed to have uploaded the transmission code directly to his tool so that any new information would be transferred directly to him. It made it very difficult for him to find the information he was looking for; it was like he knew the paper was at the bottom of the pile but people kept throwing more papers on top adding to what he had to dig through first.

"Do we have a new course Feron?" Janix's voice startled the focused Drell and he turned to find Janix and Nitall staring at him expectantly.

"Um...pardon?" He blinked in confusion taking a moment to change his train of thought.

"According to the last instructions from the Broker we were to head for Garrus," Nitall explained calmly. "Should we still head for Palavan?"

"Yes," Feron answered quickly as soon as he understood. Liara had picked Garrus for a reason and he would do his best to follow her plan of action. "I think that's best. Garrus and Shepard were very close. I will do some more research into the Shadow Broker's notes to see if I can find a clue as to her intended plan of action."

Nitall nodded at him and directed the ship towards Palavan with a heavy heart. She hadn't been back home in years and guilt racked through her belly at having not gone back to help in the fight when the reapers attacked. She was a damn good pilot and she couldn't help but wonder if her being there may have saved even one life. What if she could have saved more? But she hadn't gone home. She had stayed here. She was not the type of soldier that honoured her species; she was a coward.

Janix watched Nitall's features twitch and flare as her emotions swirled and he could tell that the trip back to Palavan would not be an easy one for the turian. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently silently signifying his want to comfort her. She breathed a quiet thanks to him before he strode to Feron's side to discuss a few things with the drell.

"Any luck so far?"

Feron shook his head. "There's so much information and it's all compacted in here. I'm having a little trouble focusing on it too so it's making things a little more difficult."

"Is there any way for you to transfer some of the data to me?"

Feron's gaze was beyond skeptical and Janix raised his hands quickly in defense. "Never mind I understand. Perhaps you can just look at some information for me; I would like to start setting up some filters on the galaxy map."

"You won't have to worry about that," Feron assured him. "Everyone's dossier comes with a location."

"I'm sure they do but that's not what I'm looking for. I want to narrow down Cerberus' location." Janix expanded the galaxy map to zoom in on their quadrant and looked at it thoughtfully. "We need to find their new location. If we don't have that then this is a pointless endeavor."

"But the ship that has Shepard, isn't it the one that has been following you?"

"It is a logical possibility. But do you really want to take that chance? We know they're been following us but what if they handed her off to another ship before trailing the Astrea? Then we risk the chance starting a battle we have no guarantee of winning and with no guarantee of Shepard."

"Damn it you're right." His hands spun through the omnitool to find any relevant data with a nervous frustration. It seemed like every time he thought he had something a new piece of information appeared that threw him for a loop.

"Breathe," the Salarian suggested. "We still have some time and I know you have a lot to think about now. Take a bit of time to relax and we can go over this all after we get Garrus."

* * *

Grunt paced his room in discontent; he missed the cargo hold of the Normandy. It was spacious and empty leaving him all the room he needed to move in. It was unimportant allowing him to put holes in the wall whenever his Krogan blood demanded it. Here Nitall had scolded him twice already for denting her ship; she threatened that if she had to warn him again she was flushing him out the air lock. He had to admit he hadn't expected such a quad from a Turian female.

This room, however, was squishy. He couldn't think of another word for it. He was used to his tank and to the hard cots of Tuchanka. Everything in the room that had been given to him was overly soft and fluffy and adorned too much for his liking. It was all unnecessary.

His armored feet clanked against the floor in an anxious pattern as his mind raced for something to do in his small metal prison. He didn't like that it was taking so long to help Shepard to freedom. Every second they spent travelling was another second that Shepard was in their clutches enduring unknown perils.

A stern knocking pulled him out of his plated skull and to the door. Yet another thing he wasn't used to. Krogan's didn't have those polite little traits that the other species in the galaxy seemed to carry with them. He wondered for a moment if that would be something the Krogan would have to adapt now that they were a welcome member of the galaxy and not just its meat shield.

"What," he demanded unsure of what the proper protocol was for having his own room. Even when he was a Commander he never had to worry about little things like this.

When his door slid open to reveal the Asari standing patiently there he had to admit he wasn't surprised.

"What do you want?" His tone with her was short and irritable.

Ignoring his obviously negative attitude she entered his room with a confident stride and a small case in hand.

Zharia placed the little black case on his desk and pushed it open revealing a small kit of tools and liquids. "I wanted to bring you some medigel for that gash on your neck."

"That isn't necessary. Krogan aren't like you squishy creatures. We don't need someone to babysit us every time we get hurt. It's what makes us stronger than you."

"I'm not dressing it for you," she assured him as she pulled a couple packs of medigel out of the small first aid kit and placed them on the desk. "I just wanted to bring these so you could take care of it yourself."

Grunt took the gesture into consideration and despite the fury and tension that ran through his bones he nodded his quiet thanks.

She accepted that for what it was but instead of leaving leaned back against the counter and looked at him skeptically. "So? What's your issue?"

"Excuse me," Grunt demanded as he turned to grab the medigel from the table

"I wasn't kidding on Omega," Zharia reminded him. "I said we'd talk later. Well, now it's later." She crossed her arms and continued to stare him down; a subtle signal that she had no plan to back down.

"You creatures all like to talk too much." Grunt's brow ridge pulled down as he stared at the Asari. Her mannerisms reminded him too much of his Battlemaster. She was always coming down into the cargo hold and asking him questions or trying to strike up conversation with no real intention other than to talk to him.

"It's a bad habit of ours," she joked with a shrug. "But that doesn't change what happened down in Afterlife. Do you realise that we now owe a debt to Aria T'Loak? Do you have any idea what that means?"

"It means we have Feron and we can go save Shepard."

"Short term yes. But you don't get it. She didn't dictate what she would ask for or when. It could be anything." She pushed herself away from the counter and began to pace the floor in front of him. "Do you understand what that means? She could message us at any time asking for that favor."

"What's your point?"

"It could be after all this is done maybe even for a hit. I'm fine with that it doesn't matter; there's enough blood on my hands that a few more spatters won't colour them differently. But, for example, what if she asks us to pull the plug on Shepard or something right in the middle of the mission?"

Grunt threw himself into her face snarling and spitting. "We ignore it! If you even lay a finger..." He jabbed his own finger into her face and left the threat unanswered so she could fill in the blanks.

"Yes," Zharia agreed smacking his hand out of the way. "We ignore it. Of course we do. But then Aria is no longer an ally. Do you have any idea how much influence Aria actually has in the galaxy? She could have us hunted down in any corner we choose to hide in on any world and she'd skin us alive without a second thought. She even has ties with the Council; do you have any idea how much influence she has over the Asari counsellor?"

Grunt grumbled deep in the back of his throat but considered her words. It took a moment to click into place but it finally did when he finally saw the emotion laced in her features. He could see her body wound up with tension. Her tension, unlike his, was derived from anxiety.

"You're afraid," he observed with a slight tilt of his head.

"Damn rights I am! This mission is dangerous enough as it is the last thing we need is to worry that once it's over we could be kicked while we're down! You needed to think more! You needed to trust me!" Her good eye bore into him with a fiery intensity. "Do you really think we've be going through all this just to fuck things up on Omega? We-"

A loud pounding and scratching noise echoed through the halls followed by a loud barking as Zhorn bounded into Grunt's room without hesitation. He snarled and snapped salvia flying off his incisors as he threw himself in between Zharia and Grunt with his back curled in defense. His claws dug into the ground as he let out another angry bark in Grunt's direction.

"Oh you're fine," Zharia tenderly scolded the varren. "I'm fine."

Zhorn padded back and forth awkwardly unsure of whether or not to believe her before Grunt finally took a few steps away from the Asari. Only then did the varren relax his aggressive pose so he could take his place at Zharia's side.

"Your mutt is very attached," Grunt commented as he watched the varren brushed up against her legs affectionately.

"He must've have heard me yelling." Zharia reached over and scratched the underside of his chin causing the beast's back leg to scratch the floor happily. "He worries when he hears things like that or if he doesn't know where I am for too long." She sighed heavily and pinched her forehead in a quiet quell of frustration. "I just...I need you to trust us Grunt. This alliance isn't going to work if we butt heads. Think...Think about the fight we got into in the residential district. When you took charge and gave me and Raythe orders do you think the battle would have gone the same way if we didn't work with you? Just like there will be moments when we'll have to trust that you know best there are going to be moments where you'll have to trust that we know best."

Grunt took this into consideration. It was something that never came up in Krogan culture. There was never the option of who had the better idea. It was who was stronger. Whoever proved themselves to be the strongest and smartest was the one in charge. On the Normandy Shepard had proved herself over and over again in battle; there was no question of who gave the orders. Wrex had fought alongside her and won a battle against his own father to achieve his place as head of Clan Urdnot. And Grunt himself had proven to be the best and strongest and was given charge of Aralakh Company. Yet here was this Asari who wasn't even captain of the ship demanding that her instructions be heeded. She hadn't even beat that thresher maw. She had proven herself a good warrior; just not good enough.

"You do things your way I'll do things mine," Grunt told her bluntly as he grabbed the medigel packs from beside her.

Zharia seemed put off by the comment but withdrew in defeat. She could recognise Grunt was set in his way and knew she had done what she could to try and convince him. Trying any harder and forcing the issue now would only create more of a rift between them in terms of respect.

So with all the grace of the Asari culture she dipped her head to him in acknowledgment and swept herself from the room.

* * *

"Suck it up princess," the Cerberus Commander ordered as she banged her fist on the barriers of Shepard's prison causing a flash that she hoped would startle the fallen commander. "You've been through worse."

Her thin lips curled in a smile at her own dark joke as she ignored the sound of Shepard vomiting. Her eyes glinted bright blue with a splash of hazel and carefully scanned the small vile in her hand. The dark brown liquid inside seemed to sparkle with specs of silver when she carefully lifted her hand up to the light.

Normally she wouldn't have sullied her hands with the grunt work but this project was special and she needed to make sure that everything went perfectly.

"Well done Doctor," she complimented; her tone held hints that she would expect this level of work from him from now on with no exceptions. "I want those other samples by tonight, can you do it?"

"Of course," he replied quickly as he removed his blood stained gloves. "She'll need some time to recover though. Should I call you when we're ready?"

"Please do." Her omnitool flashed as she radioed up to the pilot. "What's our progress in the fleet Terrance?"

"Still trailing on that alien spacecraft," he told her eagerly. "And closing in on the Asari's shuttle."

"That little blue whore? Perfect." She arrogantly tossed her bangs from her eyes and handed the doctor the vile. "Keep me updated on Shepard's progress. If all goes as planned we should be able to run the first test within forty hours."

"Yes ma'am," the doctor replied with a quick salute before returning to his work.

The Commander spun on her heel to make her back up to the bridge to meet with the pilot as she radioed the Gunnery Chief down in engineering. "Marsha, have all weapons checked, calibrated, and ready. We're going to punch a hole in some alien ships and I don't want us to have to shoot twice to do it."

* * *

"You've got to get out of here." Her voice was laced with desperation but was still firm and held no room for argument.

"And you've got to be kidding me," he retorted with disbelief. He ignored the burns that threatened to crawl through what was left of his armor as most of his body weight fell on Javik. The Prothean was strong enough that he could have easily pulled him the rest of the way through the shuttle but instead he gave the man one last try. He didn't care if his body was falling apart at the seams he knew that if he let her go now that would be the end of it.

"Don't argue, Garrus." Her voice was solid but he could still hear the pain in her words and it tore his heart to shreds. She didn't want to leave him anymore than he wanted her to. But she knew it was her duty. They knew if anyone could make the final stand it could be her.

He wanted to stand there with her even if it meant taking a bullet to heart. "We're in this till the end." He meant so much more by those words than just wanting to be a part of this fight. He meant no matter where it took them. Whether they died, built a home or continued saving the galaxy he didn't care as long as they did it together. Until they met whatever end was meant for them.

His legs slipped a little on the ramp causing Javik to steady him out as Shepard approached him. "No matter what happens here..." Her voice cracked with the hurt she felt inside as her brows twisted and curled in a collage of emotions. Her steps were the slowest he'd ever seen them but it might have just been the atmosphere making it feel that way. She came towards him step by tentative step until her face was near his and her armoured hand caressed his scarred cheek as tenderly as she could manage. "You know I love you. I always will."

"Shepard, I..." The words caught in his throat held back by the emotions that threatened to boil over inside him as he stared into her eyes. His own hand reached up and curled around hers tenderly as his features twisted in heartbreak. "Love you too." Every fibre of him yearned to lean forward and bring their faces together for one of those awkward kisses he'd become so accustomed to loving. Just as he went to move forward she began to back away from him and back down the ramp. He held onto her hand until her fingers slid free of his and his heart cried out in agony as her eyes stayed locked with his. The gunshots seemed to get a little louder again drawing her attention away from him and back to the beam. When she turned to look back at him her face was stern with determination.

"Go!," she yelled at them before turning to run and finish their mission.

* * *

"NO!" Garrus' eyes flew open as he shot up out of his bed tumbling the sheets around his waist. Perspiration trailed its way down the back of his neck and fringe and his lungs heaved with the effort of trying to catch his breath. He looked at his hands and the ghost feeling of her hand in his filled him again. He looked down as his fingers and curled them gently in an attempt to hold onto that feeling forever. He never felt like getting out of bed anymore. In that moment in between dream and reality it felt like he could still roll over and feel her warmth next to him. If he could stay there forever he would be the happiest Turian in the galaxy.

The comm terminal beside his bed beeped at him again before he realized that that was what had ended his dream. Running a hand along his flare he sighed heavily and tried to make himself look calm and collected as he answered the call.

"Go ahead."

"Sir we have a cargo vessel at the docks requesting your presence. We tried to tell them that you're unavailable..."

"Any ID on them yet?" Garrus flexed his shoulder lightly working out the kinks that had grown from stress over the night.

"No sir. We only have an ID on the pilot." Garrus watched the thin turian check his omnitool through the holo projection. "The ship, however, seems like a ghost ship. It's never come to Palavan or any of our colonies before." He cleared his voice awkwardly. "That's not to say it's an illegal ship or anything sir, it's just new to our system. I've sent out requisitions for verification to some of our more branched out units and to a few friends but without the Citadel's files for access we're a little at loss."

Garrus let out a heavy sigh but it wasn't directed at the poor dock manager. It was directed at their situation. Life after the Reaper's was tough to say the least. The Turians who had survived the war spent their days rebuilding their lost home world. It was long strenuous work and the little progress that they had made didn't make the work feel worth it. There was almost no progress to be seen at the end of each day but that might also have been his hopelessness talking. With Shepard gone it was hard for him to see the light or the future in anything.

The Reapers and also left everyone in a state of disconnect. Every file that the Citadel had had access to was now lost in the blank history of the extranet leaving everyone who had used C-Sec as a connection left to fumble in the dark. Even the Councillors seemed a little lost without their desks to hide behind.

"What about this pilot?" Garrus prodded as he searched his room for his uniform. "You said you had an identifier on them?"

"Uh yes sir." He fiddled around on his omnitool some more before returning his gaze to Garrus. "Nitall Moraclea."

"Sounds like a Turian name," Garrus observed as he tilted his head in a slight confusion.

"It is sir. Our records may have some discrepancies due to the missing files that the war caused but if they're correct she's a deserter."

"Really?" That was a serious offense for a Turian considering they held honour in the highest regard.

"Technically yes," the dock manager replied with skepticism. "She completed her training at the academy and received her licence to pilot a fighter into battle. She served for about four years before declining her renewal and she dropped off planet. The catch is we weren't in the middle of a war or any battle at the time for that matter so her withdrawal from the air force wasn't considered an act of treason. However our records show she failed to return during the Reaper war to lend her skill to the fight."

"I traveled with Shepard all over the galaxy while you stayed here to fight," Garrus reminded him.

"Sir I wasn't saying you..." The turian stumbled for his words embarrassment twitching his mandibles.

"A lot of us did what we had to in that war. You wouldn't condemn the Turians working in the Huerta Hospital for not returning. This war has caused enough ill will let's not give cause for more."

"Yes sir, I will drop the charges and allow them to dock."

Garrus adorned his casual robes and did his best to shake himself awake so he was prepared for the task ahead. He wore a simple black and white suit that he remembered Shepard complementing him on once; after that dream it almost felt appropriate.

It was strange for him being revered so highly amongst his people. He hadn't even done anything. He'd just been with Shepard but the credit for saving the galaxy was all hers. He'd tried to explain that to them so many times but no one seemed to listen. It hadn't taken long for the Councillor to give him General status and appoint him the position of advisor. He hadn't liked that position during the war but he would've disrespected his family greatly and disgraced himself if he had declined.

The dock seemed to be in an uproar when he arrived with armed guards running every which way. He moved a little faster trying to make his way to the designated docking area.

"Garrus sir!" The dock manager flagged him down amidst the crowd.

"What happened?" Garrus strode up to him as fast as he could through the panicked turians.

"We tried to follow your orders sir but when we let them dock and asked them to wait one of them came out and threatened some of my workers. There's-"

"Garrus call off your pyjaks." Garrus' mandibles widened in surprise as the Krogan stomped his way down the ramp pushing armed guards to the side. "Or I'll show them something scarier than a Reaper."

"Grunt!" Despite himself Garrus pushed his way past all the turian guards to greet his comrade. "Everyone stand down, he's an old friend!"

The two met near the end of the ramp and shook hands with old nostalgic smiles worn on their maws. The turians looked at them with confusion but reluctantly returned to their assigned tasks while throwing a few glances over their shoulders.

"Grunt what're you doing here?"

"We're here for you."

"We?" Garrus looked over to the dock excited to see some friendly faces but his smile dropped in confusion when he was met with nothing but strangers. His eyes narrowed in skeptical confusion. He'd never seen any of those people and he never expected Grunt to travel with such a crowd. The drell looked familiar though.

"Sir it's a pleasure to meet you," the Salarian greeted him with a quick nod. "I'm sorry for our.,. startling entrance. I had no idea that Grunt would be so...charming." He chose the last word carefully when he saw the Krogan eyeing him up. "My name is Janix Athi; this is my ship the Astrea."

"Garrus Vakarian. Pardon my bluntness, but dare I ask what the hell is going here?"

"We're here for you General," the turian female answered as she stepped out from behind Janix and Grunt. Her features were timid but she was doing her best to act strong surrounded by her people. "We have a mission of great importance to discuss with you."

He looked at Grunt curiously; something about this situation felt both strange and wrong. What was his friend doing here? What could these people possibly need him for? Nothing could be more important than rebuilding his home from the war.

The drell stepped forward. "Hello Garrus, I'm not sure if you remember me. My name is Feron; I work very closely with...a friend of yours."

Memories of the drell came back to him and each placed him near Liara. He worked under her Shadow Broker persona. "Right, Feron."

"Yes. Our matter...it's of great importance. So much so that contacting you through a terminal could have been disastrous...as some have already found." Garrus could hear the forlorn devastation in his voice and recognised it as a tone that had plagued him more often than not when he thought about Shepard.

"I'm interested but you have to understand. We're in the middle of rebuilding our home." His eyes darted subconsciously to Nitall who drew back slightly at his gaze. He cleared his throat and continued. "I'm sorry but I need to be here with my family. I almost lost them once..."

The Salarian's eyes narrowed at him curiously. "What about someone you did lose?"

Garrus looked at him unsure of what to believe in his eyes. Regardless of his doubts he took the bait. "Who are you talking about?"

The tattooed Asari took point and her lips moved as the slow allure of the word traced its way across them. "Shepard." The word was quiet and breathless as if only the two of them shared it. As if anyone else who might hear could break the name just by knowing it. He felt his breath catch at the same moment his heart stopped and he looked at the shambled group in disbelief.

Janix placed a hand on Garrus' shoulder drawing him back into real time. "My crew and I, we saw her on the Citadel while we were scavenging for materials. She's alive."

"She's...alive?" Garrus would barely taste the truth in the words when he said them out loud. There had to be catch. There had to be the black seed there somewhere. "Where is she?"

Grunt's eyes narrowed and he hissed out, "Cerberus has her."

Garrus' stomach suddenly became full of his heart when he heard those words. She was so close yet so far at the same time. His fists clenched as anger swelled through his body.

Feron cleared his throat to continue. "They're tracking our communications or we would've just radioed you the info. We're trying to get as many of her old crew together to go take her back."

"You're a hundred percent sure they have her? That she's alive?"

"More than," Janix answered firmly. "But we do understand that your planet needs you so-"

"Let me get my rifle."


	6. Chapter 6

Once again sorry for such a late update! The only promise I can make is that I've already started on the next chapter so it won't take nearly as long to see! Thank you again to everyone who reads, review, follows and favs. Every word and number keeps my heart soaring and my fingers typing!

xoxo The Last Element

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX - The Darkness**

_"It's so easy to see the galaxy in black and white. Gray? I don't know what to do with gray." - Garrus Vakarian_

* * *

Garrus scanned the ship as he followed Janix and Nitall towards the cockpit. It was a fairly large cargo vessel and he couldn't help but notice the blatant lack of bodies to fill it. He wondered how the ship even functioned on such a skeleton crew; the Astrea should be falling apart at the seams. His eyes curled around the empty rooms and hollow halls as the sound of his feet returned to him with a resounding echo. He couldn't help feel a little nervous now that he had seen that there was no blood to the ships inner workings.

"So what sort of plan do you guys have?" Garrus was straight to the point as soon as the doors slid open to allow them to enter the helm. It also helped distract his mind from the feeling that something in the ship might catch fire and no one would know.

"First of all we need more people," Feron explained as he hurried to place himself beside the turian adviser. "Right now we're not nearly prepared enough to make a full assault on Cerberus. Wherever they're keeping Shepard I think it's safe to assume she will be heavily guarded."

"This is Shepard we're talking about," Garrus snapped back unable to hide his attitude. She was his everything; he didn't want to imagine another day without her and damned if he was going to lose her a third time. He wouldn't risk her life with a 'maybe' or a 'chance'. "I refuse to assume anything. And we can't wait forever for everyone. Without knowing what they want her for we have no idea if they're going to keep her alive." He wasn't daft; he knew they couldn't do this by themselves. But they were stupid if they thought they had time to get all of Shepard's old crew members together. Whatever Cerberus had planned for Shepard he could promise that they would only wait as long as they had to before disposing of her. They may need her for now but she was their greatest threat and Cerberus had proven they'd grown out of the days of accidently releasing husks and rachni on themselves.

Feron hung his head in sad thought at Garrus' words. If Liara were still around she would know what Carberus was up to by now. Hell, he could barely sort her files. He felt useless in this endeavor and his heart shriveled in despair. Her technology was not his strong point; decryptions, electronics and sabotage were not a part of his skill set. If she were here it would have taken her only minutes to pull apart these files and sing to Garrus everything he ever wanted to know. Yet here he was stumbling over the same information over and over again unable to sift through the constant press of new information from her informants.

"And how do you propose we find that out," Janix asked almost accusingly. He wasn't angry so to speak he was just daring Garrus to come up with a solution.

"I'm close personal friends with the Shadow Broker," Garrus announced with a thick pride as his fringe almost seemed to flare bigger with it. "As much as I don't want to allow for more time the Shadow Broker wouldn't need much to get us the information we need."

Nitall shook her head at him. "The Broker is gone." The turian eyes clashed and Nitall was the first to turn away unable to hold the horror his gaze threw at her.

"What do you mean gone?"

"After we left Tuchanka we received a transmission from our friend Feron here," Janix told him calmly. "That communication was quickly interrupted by the real shadow broker. She sent all the data she had to Feron and then said she needed to leave immediately. Cerberus had found her."

"We haven't heard from her since." Feron's eyes darted away from the turian unable to handle seeing the pity in his features. Garrus had probably been one of Liara's closest friends. They'd been together since the beginning of Shepard's journey and he'd been one of the few to watch her grow from the timid archeologist she'd once been to the confident and powerful creature she now paraded as.

Garrus' mind reeled at the thought; the most powerful well informed being in the galaxy was taken by surprise. Whoever in Cerberus they were dealing with it was no amateur. They had been cunning and brilliant enough to track Liara without her knowing it and they'd been able to get in close enough to panic her into giving up her position.

Garrus cursed under his breath and looked at Janix expectantly as he asked, "So what's your plan then?"

"We keep going," he replied simply. "Garrus? Pretend that we only have enough time to recruit two more members. You knew everyone on Shepard's team since the beginning; who would you suggest?"

He didn't know much about Janix's crew but he could make a few assumptions. They had a Quarian and if stereotypes stood true that meant that they had a thoroughly skilled engineer. The asari he'd seen wore an old commando uniform; from that he could assume she was probably a sentinel and skilled in both combat and biotics. Grunt was obviously full of combat prowess. If he were to base Nitall on her profile and the generalization of most turian females he could assume she was pretty well rounded but like Joker wouldn't leave the ship. Feron's abilities were a mystery to him so he simply didn't count him so that he wasn't assuming anything. Janix was definitely a soldier but he could tell there was more to him but he decided to leave that unaccounted for. The only thing he could say they were well stocked on was combat abilities.

"We need more tech ability," he decided bluntly. "What we've got isn't bad but we need more. We need to be prepared for anything and a single Quarian can't make that cut."

"I hear the suggestion that we need two."

Garrrus nodded. "We need Tali."

"And who else?"

Garrus' brow furrowed. The old crew member he so desperately thought their team needed was almost unreachable. Or at least she didn't want to be reached.

"If there's any way to get Kasumi Goto then that's who we need. But if I know her she'll find us if she wants to."

"Then who else?"

"Then we need more biotic abilities. Personally I'd prefer Samara. Her code will tell her that helping us is the right thing to do and she's far more in control than Jack. If we set a plan she'll follow; Jack would be...difficult."

"Perfect."

"Inputting dossier locations into galaxy drive now sir," Nitall reported as she folded with ease into her pilots chair as if it were her second skin.

"And Feron." Janix's eyes narrowed with seriousness at the drell. "I respect that you don't want to betray your friend or release that information into the wrong hands. But I'm giving you a deadline. We'll go for Samara first then to the Far Rim for Tali'Zorah. If you haven't been able to dig your way through those files by the time we meet with the fleet on Rannoch then everything is going to Raythe to decode."

"NO," Feron protested but Garrus placed a hand on his shoulder to hold him back.

"Feron. We don't have a choice and we don't have time. He's giving you a chance to keep your trust with L...the Shadow Broker. But you know she would never forgive you if Shepard could have been saved but we couldn't find her in time because of you."

Because of you. The words were spoken softly but meant to wound him as deeply as any knife might. It wasn't what he had done yet but it was what he was doing. It was his fault they weren't any closer to understanding Cerberus motivations. He was only moving them steps closer to getting caught off guard. They were already so pushed back from having to recruit everyone in such a slow manner and he was just holding them back.

Feron dropped his head but nodded his reluctant acceptance of the decision. "I won't let you down," he promised. Though Janix nodded his acceptance the words weren't for him; they were for Liara.

He quietly excused himself so he could retire to his room for a quiet place to focus on the information.

* * *

The thickness of the air in the engine room filled Zharia's lungs the second those doors slid open and her hand instinctively went to cover her mouth. Her eyes darted around the increasingly hot room in search of Raythe. Zhorn pressed against her side and she judged by his heavy breathing and lolling tongue that he wasn't a fan of the temperature either.

She called into the steamy depths. "Raythe?"

Had she ventured in at the one rare moment where Raythe was in another part of the ship? The quarian had become a permanent fixture in the engine room. He didn't leave it unless Janix had requested that he go on shore or assist with something on the bridge.

"Raythe," she called again as she stepped further into the engine room.

Zhorn took the word as an order and bounded up to the calibration pad that held Raythe's sent in the thickest concentration. His nose bounced wildly as it searched the air for traces of the quarian. With a quick bark he bounded happily past the safety rail and into the fray of twisting mechanical parts that kept the core a float and alive.

"Zhorn no!" She went to reach for him but the varren was off like a hot damn down through the inner workings.

"Zhorn stop, here boy," Raythe's voice commanded just barely above the roar of the Astrea.

She watched the suited figure pull himself back up over the edge and past the railing as Zhorn loyally followed and made his way back to safety.

"What were you doing down there," Zharia demanded coldly from him as she helped him climb the railing.

"Loose coupling," he explained as he brushed some grime off the sleeve of his suit so he could check for any holes. "It'd be easier to fix at a stop but who knows how long that'll take; I didn't want it to become a problem."

The asari gently helped tidy his suit and meticulously checked for punctures and tears in places he couldn't see.

"I take it then that you weren't eavesdropping on Janix's conversation with Feron and Garrus," she noted aloud.

Raythe grinned at her behind his helmet. "I take it you did?"

She patted his back signalling that she hadn't found anything on her end for compromises. "Of course. Stealth used to be my specialty remember?" Her ego wouldn't let her admit out loud that Janix had probably known she was listening in the whole time and if he had really wanted to stop her he could have.

"So what did you come down here to tell me then?" As much as he loved small talk his curiosity was more than nagging. If she came all the way into this terribly conditioned room she must have heard something important.

"We're going to Thessia first to recruit an asari justicar," she began before bluntly adding, "And then we're going to Rannoch."

Raythe was happy that she couldn't see his face but he couldn't hide the hitch in his breath. He couldn't return to see his people; and certainly not now that they had achieved their home world. The goal their people had had for so long he could barely remember a time when they had dreamed of anything else. His heart fluttered gently; had they started building homes? Had they farmed the land?...Had anyone removed their mask or suit? Was the migrant fleet still flying or had everyone docked for the sake of growing again? Were the geth helping? He had so many questions and he couldn't imagine answering any of them. It had been so long since he'd been back with his people.

"Are you going to be ok?" Zharia's eyes bore into him with a kindness that he knew was reserved.

"I don't know yet," he admitted. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think," she assured him as best she could. "Now that Rannoch is back in quarian hands I'm sure things will have changed. They'll want every quarian to be a part of this moment regardless of what was said."

Her hand reached out and her fingers gently curled through his. Raythe closed his eyes and gave her hand a small squeeze as he pulled what reassurance he could from it. It was then that he realised that she had also mentioned they were going to Thessia as well. He knew that Zharia had made a point never to set foot on her home planet ever again. Not since... before they met.

"What about you," he dared quietly.

Her only answer was a twitch in her fingers that turned into a squeeze that silently begged for the comfort and courage she was too proud to ask for.

"It'll be ok," he offered tenderly.

* * *

"How do you even to hold together?" Garrus questioned as he looked around the empty ship noting that he still hadn't seen any other crew members aboard.

Janix turned from the galaxy map to face him with seriously painted features. "Every once in a while I break down a little bit but after some casual sex and a delicious milky treat humans call ice cream I feel a little better."

Garrus' jaw dropped open slightly and he found himself speechless in the presence of the salarian.

"That was sarcasm," Janix clarified as he smiled at the turian. "It may be a time of crisis but humor has never dampened a spirit."

Garrus' found himself reminded of the small conversations and jokes tossed around on their hunt for Saren and realised that Janix was right. The only thing keeping them from shattering under the pressure had been the smiles their comradery had brought.

"Yes, sarcasm of course," Garrus chuckled embarrassed that for a moment he believed him. "I meant the lack of crew. A ship like this needs more than just four people to run properly."

Janix's smile faded as he turned to look at the ship himself. "I know."

"What happened to them?" He considered the Normandy crew size in regards to the complexity of the ship. Granted a cargo vessel didn't need as much attention but it would still require a sizable crew to manage it. He had a hard time believing that there had never been anyone else helping out.

"When the Reapers attacked we were all affected differently," Janix explained. "We used to have a full crew filled with an assortment of characters just looking for some place different to find themselves. Those of us that chose to stay on the Astrea truly called it home even during the attack."

"And those that didn't?"

The salarian shrugged gently. "A few returned to their home worlds to help protect them and fight there. Others found that their help was needed more on planets we visited during the war."

"Really?" Garrus couldn't have imagined a situation like that. If he fought on Earth and heard about Palaven burning if would have torn his heart apart. At least when he had been with Shepard he had still been indirectly helping Palaven as well.

"Yes." Janix' smile returned brighter than ever at the fond memories that cascaded through his mind. "There was a human who used to stay here named Marco. Nice man; used to be a mechanic on earth. When the war started we offered to take him there to help protect his world but instead he chose to go to a small colony in the Hades Gamma cluster. He said they hadn't had any contact with aliens for years trying to preserve the old way of life and he wasn't sure they even remembered they weren't alone in the universe. He had said that if the reapers ever made it that far they'd need a little help."

Garrus considered that for a moment and grinned before commenting, "That was very noble of him. Not many beings would have that thought process."

"He was good hearted. They all were."

"What brings good hearted people to a scavengers ship?" Garrus realised how harsh the question was before he could retract it but Janix didn't seem offended in the least it just made him even more thoughtful.

His large eyes sparked with mischief and intelligence. "I used to work with a friend of yours before I purchased this ship. Did you know that?" Garrus almost felt like Janix was trying to redirect the conversation but the look in the salarian's eyes told him in was all connected somehow.

Garrus tilted his head as his mind filled with curiosity. "A friend of mine?"

"Mordin Solus," he confirmed. "I was part of the Salarian STG unit and worked with him on the genophage modification project."

"Really?"

"Really. And yet with all of that expertise and glory I decided to buy an old cargo vessel and fill it with misfits and scrouge the bowels of the galaxy for a living."

"That doesn't make any sense." And it added even more confusion to his question of how they had come to be a scavenger ship.

"And what about you?" Janix turned to fully face him his mind racing with knowledge and memories. "You're the son of a renowned soldier and were once a respected C-Sec officer. Yet you abandoned all that potential to call one of the darkest stations in the universe home so you could hunt gang members."

"I was doing the justice that couldn't be done if I followed every last rule and filed each piece of paper," Garrus retorted. His fringe bristled and his mandibles flared; he couldn't help but be upset that this salarian he had only just met was so well versed on his life.

"Correction," Janix said firmly. "You were doing what you needed to. What made you feel like you were doing something good with your life."

"And what? For you that was raiding abandoned buildings and committing thievery when possible?"

"I don't expect you to understand my actions. I'm only asking that you respect me and everyone in my crew has their reasons for being here while you're on my ship. I did what I needed to. Everyone on my ship is here because they want to be; everyone here did what they needed to."

After that Janix returned to his work at the galaxy map without offering the old C-sec agent another word or glance making the end of the conversation very obvious. Garrus had tread on some very thin ice and it had cracked under the pressure. Janix felt his blood swim at the thought that this turian thought so lowly of his crew. He had no right to judge. Not him and not his crew. They all had their reasons to find themselves on the Astrea. Some of them he had known and some of them he hadn't but he was sure that every crew member he had ever had was a good person.

* * *

Air had always been such a light and independent thing in her eyes; it was clear and free. On some planets it curled gently through foliage with caresses and whispers. On others it was a gale force to be reckoned with that could tear roots from the ground and take lives. It was a fickle mistress; a moody friend; an unpredictable accomplice. And its absence made the vast emptiness of space seem all the darker. Dark in ways that most couldn't imagine; in ways that threatened every sense the body had.

Without air the darkness both filled and emptied lungs at the same time in a threatening chaos as the crisp empty smell filled the nose.

The black sound that it brought filled the ears and mind with a deafening silence that knew no equal. The ears rang with it and the blood pounded with each vibration.

The skin tingled and numbed as the darkness pulled the life and colour from every cell. It cloaked itself around the flesh like a cold unrelenting blanket covering each inch.

It took the eyes into a world that many never visited filled with both enthralling mystery and deepest horrors. It sparked the imagination in romantic and cruel ways as it stole hope and filled the cracks left behind with fear.

The darkness filled the mouth and coated the tongue with the ashen taste of death.

To Liara the feeling was almost like being back at a dig site only there was no sense of accomplishment to look forward to at the end of it. Her body twisted and curled as the void of space tried to suck the life from her lungs and memories that tugged at her heart filled her mind. It was like she was watching Shepard drift into space all over again; watching helplessly as her friend and Commander disappeared into a small gust of flame. Her heart wrenched at the thought that this was how Shepard had felt in those last moments.

If she could have at that moment Liara would have cried. She had tried so hard and made it so far.

When she had learned that Cerberus was coming for her she hadn't wasted any time in escaping the planet. She had kept a small Asari fighter nearby at all times for just such an emergency; unfortunately she was no ace of the skies. That left her with no option to fight only the option of fleeing. Cerberus had sent only one ship for her; a clear statement on what they thought she was capable of.

Their shots had cut holes in her tail instantly severing one of the engines and causing a malfunction in the ships life support protocols. It didn't take long for the cab to drain of oxygen and she had put on her respirator to salvage a bit more time. Luckily the artificial gravity was miraculously still functional or she probably would have drifted away from the pilot seat respirator and out into space.

Liara's final action was to let loose a distress beacon that she was sure Cerberus had laughed at. She watched on the radar as they sat and waited nearby. They could have easily fired a few more shots to completely destroy her ship and let her float in space as a new toy for target practice. However, Cerberus was not that kind. They waited to fend off any ship that might respond and come to help her. They waited to let her suffocate to death in the heart of a foreign little cruiser. The end felt so unjust she could barely stomach it. After everything she had been through to get where she was this was to be the end of it all.

A delicate beeping broke through the darkness and pulled her back into the reality of the ship for a moment. Her hand stumbled away from her body feeling like it weighed more than the vessel itself. It was the emergency channel. As she button clicked down to respond to the transmission her small bubble of hope burst before her eyes as two Cerberus grunts stared back at her.

_"See? I told you she was still alive."_ He nudged his co-worker arrogantly now ignoring the asari.

_"Yeah, guess I owe you fifty credits."_

Liara's nose curled at their complete disrespect for her life. She may not have deserved a lot in life but after clawing her way to the top through dirt, blood, and dishonour she damn well deserved respect. And yet here they were betting on whether or not they could leave yet. She was one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy but to them she might as well have been the runt varren of a pit match.

"You're pathetic," she hissed at them with what little breath she had left. "And...you won't win."

Their laughter filled her ears as her eyes fluttered shut again. What kind of plan did they have that they were so arrogant against the people who'd fought the Illusive Man?

Her head lolled to the side as her mind tried to return to the darkness again. It was so much easier there...scary but easier. The darkness filled her senses once more dulling her ears to the noises that continued across the transmissions. If she'd been in full consciousness she would have heard the words that cursed her across the panel. She would have heard her name being called into space.

Her head lolled and she fell from the chair to the floor and the mask ripped from her mouth pulling the last of the air from her lungs with it. She felt her toes begin curl as her lungs withered and convulsed in agony. Her body writhed against the cold floor as her hand clawed against the bottom of the chair begging for more time.

"Liara..."

Her mind lulled around the voice and tried to grasp it and hold onto it but it was like trying to wrap your fingers around water to keep from drowning. It just slips through your fingers as if it were never there.

"...Liara..."


	7. Chapter 7

**Told you I would update sooner this time! Hope you enjoy this one! Once again thank you to those who have taken the time to read and those who review! You guys fuel me!**

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN - Divided**

_"That's what separates us, Shepard. Where you see a means to destroy, I see a way to control–" The Illusive Man_

* * *

Nitall released a sigh thick with apprehension and relief as she finished her hail with the Thessia docking police. Normally the Asari Councillor would reside on the Citadel but with the station in ruins she had returned to her home world for the time being. She was surprised that the Councillor had accepted their request for an audience on short notice. However, the more that she thought about it the more it made sense. Every culture was in a sad state right now; their armies were wounded, their resources depleted, and many cities in ruins. No one really wanted to upset another species right now and risk that they weren't as under the weather as everyone else.

She then wondered about Zharia; would the asari want to step out onto the planet and face them? She dared not imagine. Zharia's mind was a mystery to her. Nitall knew her to be stoic, brave and harsh; yet she'd also seen her be compassionate, generous and understanding. She wasn't sure what built her to be that way and wasn't really sure she wanted to know. She liked just knowing that the asari was whatever she needed to be depending on the situation. Somehow that made her even more difficult to predict.

As she slowed the ship even more and turned it to dock Zharia made her way onto bridge. Her face was solemn and unreadable as she approached Janix's side. Surprisingly Zhorn hadn't followed her up.

"I want to lead the shore party," Zharia announced the minute Janix looked over at her.

The salarian looked at her sympathetically before asking, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Her devotion didn't waver and he saw the silent plea in her eyes behind the show of strength.

Janix considered her for a moment but he finally relented. A part of him wanted to glue her to the ship and protect her from her own brazenness but he knew that confronting her problems was very important to her. "Very well Zharia. But I need Garrus to go with you to talk to Samara. Who else would you like to choose?"

"Grunt," she answered after a moment of thought.

The decision surprised Janix; he would have guessed that Zharia would have requested himself or Raythe. Someone who was familiar with her past. He then acknowledged that that was exactly what she was trying to avoid. She didn't want someone there who would coddle her and protect her; she wanted to fight her own battles.

"Are you sure?" He understood but his concern made it hard for him to not push the issue a little bit.

"Positive," she replied before she turned her gaze out the view screen to watch her home slowly get closer and closer.

* * *

Grunt found his decision to accompany them onto the surface of Thessia to be a mistake. The Asari Councillor approached the small group with an elevated sense of elegance that filled his nose with the unpleasant stink of arrogance. He was not a fan of the asari; most of them were too squishy and high up on themselves. They shouldn't be. He found that it was too easy to make them squeal like pyjaks even when they thought they were so tough. His nostrils flared taking in each scent that surrounded them. The councillor and her bodyguard reeked of self assured importance; it was a bitter taste mixed with overconfidence and a haughty pride. Yet there was a tang of fear that overpowered it all. After a deeper inhale his gaze turned to the asari beside him. Her body practically vibrated with the scent of fear and anticipation. It hadn't even been this powerful when she had faced the thresher maw. Her body language hid it well so he doubted greatly that the other asari would even know what kind of effect they were having on her.

"You must be the Astrea party that my dock manager informed me about," the councillor greeted them graciously as she approached. "What brings a vessel like yours to Thessia?" Though the question seemed simple Grunt could hear the undertones laced through the words 'like yours' that were filled with disgust and contempt. Of course they would feel like that; a cargo vessel of anything less than pure asari crew was far beneath them.

Garrus waited for a moment to see if Zharia would speak up but when she kept silent he stepped forward as leader. "We request permission to speak with one of your justicars."

"Surely you know that we do not pull our justicars off of their designated missions," she told them and Grunt's eyes narrowed as he watched her tilt her head up to physically turn her nose up at them. "I can take your request and pass it on but I'm afraid that for now that is all I can do. You must understand that the asari people have suffered a great loss and the justicars are doing their best to help our culture."

"Everyone has suffered a great loss," Garrus informed her coldly. It was obvious by the tone in his voice he was picking up on the Asari's snide attitude.

"Please," the counsellor asked as she raised her hands to silence him. "This is no time for pettiness. The concept of 'great' is in the eye of the preceptor. The issue still stands that we cannot spare one of our justicars to whatever your cause is at the moment."

Garrus had to take a deep breath in order to maintain his professional disposition in front of them and Grunt could see Zharia's body vibrating with rage.

"All we're asking for is an audience with Samara," Garrus repeated with a strained voice.

"And I have already told you she is otherwise occupied."

It was obvious the asari councillor had no intention on budging on the matter. The justicar code would mean that if they had a worthy cause then Samara would be obligated to assist in the matter as long as it was of greater importance than her next goal. They could not expect her to disregard her current mission but they could ask that when she was done she join theirs. The counsellor seemed to acknowledge this as well and worried that Samara might become unavailable to them.

The counsellor cleared her throat hiding the gesture with a delicately formed hand. "If this is all we can help you with today then I must ask that you depart. I have other important matters to return to."

"The Justicar will not like that you've kept us from her," Zharia announced as she finally found courage in the back of her throat.

The asari councillor regarded Zharia's boldness with a cold contempt. "You really think so?"

Zharia's voice caught in her throat again and Garrus stepped up. "We know so."

Grunt observed Zharia curiously trying to figure out if she had been trying to bluff their way into an audience or if she truly knew something they didn't.

"Please enlighten us," the councillor dared as she crossed her arms in a challenging manner.

A silence fell over the small party and the counsellor, for all her graces, smiled victoriously. Garrus turned to Zharia for the knowledge on the asari people that he didn't hold. Though like most turians his features were harsh she found comfort in his eyes as they regarded her kindly. In them she found his motivations and his reasons; she found his love. She had heard many a rumor that Shepard had found love in her crew but seeing the look in his eyes she knew it was much more than that. Love stirred in with a desperate hope and a forlorn longing lit the delicate flame behind his blue eyes. And at this moment they begged with her to help him save Shepard.

Just like that all her negative emotions drained away as if he had just opened a window and released them. Her inner demons silenced and slid back into the shadows where they waited to die and she turned to face the counsellor with a new boldness in her shoulders. Lost in her past, in her fear, in her anger, she had almost forgotten how many futures were truly at stake.

"The Justicars are sworn to protect the innocent and punish the guilty. Their entire life is based around this simple principle. Every oath they take reflects this; they are sworn to obey it." Zharia tilted her head in a way that allowed the shadows to snake their way around her facial tattoo and adding a foreboding feeling to her appearance. "I highly doubt that a Justicar would find much reason for even a councillor to stand in the way of that."

Grunt chuckled deeply. Bluff or not the sudden tingle of dread that he saw course through the councillor's eyes was real enough.

A smile cautiously snaked its way back onto the councillor's lips. "Please don't fool yourself. Justicars only operate in the best interests of the asari people."

"So you're admitting that when she hears of our request nothing will change." Zharia's grin curled the corners of her mouth and she raised her eye brow temptingly. "Samara joined Shepard's cause when the Collectors attacked. That was a mission started in the interest of humans but Samara was able to see the greater picture." She had placed her facts and now needed to appeal to the asari pride. "Counsillor, you are a kind and just asari. You have proven to be the voice of reason for many years on the citadel council. I know you are scared for your people's safety but this front is not you. We are asking to speak with merely one justicar not to be allowed access to the entire asari fleet." Memories swam through her and she found one bubbled through her lips persuasively before she could stop it. "You once told me that having power sometimes means having to make the tough decisions that no one likes. That sometimes players, no matter how important they are, must be sacrificed for the greater good."

The councillor held her gaze for a moment and a slow glaze of recognition swam through her features. Grunt felt the wave of regret come over her and he could see the pity paint itself across her features. Whoever Zharia had been before she went to the Astrea she was now obviously a great sense of upset for the counsellor.

"T'Leon," the counsellor acknowledged. "It has been sometime."

"Madame Counsellor," Zharia greeted in return as if they were just meeting.

"I almost didn't recognise you." The features stumbled over the statement before she conceded with a small nod. "If you return to your ship I will send your information to Samara and she will contact you shortly." The councillor's voice had lost all its arrogance and filled a deeply found pity. "I cannot say she will agree to help you but I wish you the best of luck."

Grunt smelled the confusion of emotions that erupted from Zharia like someone had just thrust a handful of spices under his maw. He turned to look and her and wondered if that was the biotic energy that added that tang to the smell.

Without another word she spun on her heel to lead them back to the Astrea.

* * *

_"I would be more than happy to assist in your plea Garrus,"_ Samara told him in her usual sensual tone. _"However, my code will not allow me to abandon my current mission. I shall contact you as soon as I am able. I hope that it is soon enough but you know I cannot promise anything."_

"Of course I understand Samara," Garrus replied though his heart dropped with her response. He respected her greatly and knew that she would stay true to her word and help as soon as her mission was done. "I wish you well."

"_Thank you. I am happy to hear that there is hope for your heart my friend. May the goddess smile upon your journey Garrus."_

The transmission clicked out and Janix crossed his arms thoughtfully. "I feel like we're going Mako."

Garrus looked at him curiously. "Care to share with the rest of the class?"

"Mako," Janix repeated. "You remember those poorly crafted infantry vehicles the Alliance designed? Have you ever had to try and drive one?"

Garrus couldn't help but chuckle at the memory of the Mako. That terrible piece of human engineered crap. "I never drove one but I had many an experience being a passenger. I'm surprised I didn't suffer any permanent brain damage..." As if checking just in case Garrus scratched the back of his neck behind his fringe.

Janix laughed at the idea. "So you've experienced firsthand the fact that they handle like a drunken elcor with wheels for feet." Garrus found the analogy oddly accurate. "When I say we're going Mako I'm saying that I feel like we're just going in circles getting stuck against walls, struggling to get out, and then getting stuck on another wall again. What I mean to say is even though we're going forward we're not actually going anywhere." Had paced around the galaxy map to his personal terminal where he drew up all the dossiers they had left. "We've attempted to recruit four people so far and out of those four only two have joined the cause. The other two will join when they can."

"So what we need is a contingency plan," Garrus deduced.

"Do you have something in mind?"

"No," Garrus admitted. "But I will. I'll abide by the same deadline you gave Feron." His mind reeled; now that the deadline was on himself as well it felt like far too long. It felt like Shepard wouldn't be able to wait that long. "Or I'll come up with something else."

Janix tilted his head curiously. "You were the one that decided on the Far Rim..."

"I know, and I stand by that decision," he replied though he feared he wasn't as convicted as should have been.

"I do have a question though as our plans differed slightly," Janix began and Garrus nodded for him to continue. "Why not contact the Alliance? They hold a majority of Shepard's old crew and would offer plenty of help. Shepard was humanity's hero."

"No," Garrus answered simply. "We would have an army. But not only would we have an army we couldn't control but we'd have no chance of actually saving Shepard. It's like the Collector base; we need a small team to infiltrate if we want to save Shepard."

"Just curious," Janix replied wistfully as his mind began to curl around potential infiltration plans.

* * *

The sounds of rage distracted Grunt on the way to his quarters and his brow ridge furrowed in confusion and frustration. He followed the noises to find Zharia in her room erupting with furious biotic energy.

"We got what we needed what's your problem," Grunt demanded. "Or is this some sort of squishy female thing?"

"That bitch," Zharia ranted as if she hadn't heard him. "With her fake fucking pity!" She threw her arm out to the side and a biotic lash tore through her bed as if it were tissue paper.

Her mind reeled in aggravation. She went ashore to face the asari counsellor for the first time in years but her mind couldn't decide what it had been searching for. What sort of reaction had she wanted and why was the counsellor's obvious remorse making her so angry. Didn't she want her to feel bad for what she'd done? She spoke to her by name; she'd obviously recognised her. The only reason she had said she'd help them was in a pathetic attempt to make Zharia forgive her for what she'd done.

"I don't forgive you!" Zharia screamed as she clenched her fist and watched half of her bed explode into dust and shards.

She raised her fist ready to launch another assault when Grunt's hand latched onto her wrist to stop her. She turned to look at him her face twisted for sadness and rage. Without hesitation her barrier flew up and launched him a few feet away from her where he gathered his footing.

"Don't touch me," she threatened.

He stared her down for a moment and he watched the biotic energy swirl around her hands. The patterns it weaved in the air were both dangerous and seductive as she stared him down with a look that should have curdled his blood.

Memories raced around in Zharia's head lashing out to be freed. Those words she spoke to the counsellor; a part of her still resented them. Even as she stared down the Krogan her hands trembled as her finger delicately traced her eyelid to feel the cold dead synthetic parts beneath.

* * *

_Blood drizzled from her lips in a vivid contrast to the blue of her skin as her dark blue eyes blinked rapidly in a small attempt to keep herself conscious. Her heart pounded in her ears and she groaned trying to drown it out. Pain coursed through her blood and filled her brain with a constant throbbing._

_Simply for the sake of futility she struggled against her restraints once more only to be met with a warning shock. It burned her already callused wrists and air hissed between her teeth as she grit them against the pain._

_"Stop squirming," one of the vorcha commanded with a scratchy hiss as he leaned into her face breathing a stale odour of blood and fire._

_This plan had gone horribly wrong and her mind raced around it. Everything had seemed to be flawless when her and Janix had discussed it. The turians had requested the help of each council member's species after they had learned that the vorcha had stumbled across a plant on their home that when boiled released a_ _pungent smell that was fatal to turians. The turian primarch was afraid to send his own people and risk their destruction but it seems it may have led to theirs. After the separation Janix's plan was simple. The salarians had come equipped with explosives that they planned to plant around warehouse and burn the whole shipment and forest. Then she just had to go and fuck up..._

_"Now tell! Tell us what you want here!" The vorcha slashed at her face leaving trails of blood along her jaw line and drawing her out of her own thoughts._

_Her head spun away from the motion but his claws were sharp enough to not be ignored. Zharia's jaw stayed clenched holding in every bit of information._

_It was the first thing she'd learned as a commando; you never cracked under the pressure. Besides, she was here of her own fault. She wouldn't get herself caught and reveal information all in the same day. If she'd been more careful she wouldn't be trapped. But she'd been overly arrogant and impatient and gotten herself noticed while planting the bomb that Janix had given her. Now she was sure now that that mistake would cost her her life. However Zharia was strong and bold; she knew though that if this was her time to go she would do it with all the dignity of the Asari people._

_"Go fuck a varren," she hissed back through her grit teeth._

_The vorcha howled in rage and recoiled from her before it began pacing as thoughts ran rampant through its head. Zharia chuckled at the creature as she could practically see the smoke pouring from its ears. As if her laughter had sparked the light in its mind the vorcha turned on a dime. It closed the distance between them and the pack began to crowd around as they saw the idea light behind his eyes._

_The vorcha grinned at her baring even more of its soiled lengthy teeth. It curled its claw out again and this time dragged it carefully along her face to end in the corner of her eye. She looked at him carefully as her dark blue eyes scanned his for intention but all she could find was maliciousness._

_"Know you here for plant," his voice rasped against her skin. "Think need to send something to Asari. So they know to start minding own business."_

_Despite all her training, all her pride, all her convictions, a scream erupted from the darkest depths of her lungs and soul. It tore through her chest as sharply the vorcha's claw tore through her flesh. She felt the pull through her mind and her scream became guttural as tears of pain began to fall from her eyes. The salt in her tears burned at the fresh wound only causing more tears to bubble up and another scream poured out of her. Blackness overcame her and she didn't even bother to fight it hoping that she could use it to hide from the agony._

_"T'Leon!"_

_The voice tugged on her mind through the pain pulling her back to reality before slowly being drowned out through the ocean that cloaked her senses. She hadn't even noticed that the vorcha was no longer near her; that the smell of blood was not only her own. How long had she been out? Minutes? Hours? She couldn't imagine that they would have kept her alive for days but maybe._

_A hand pulled at her shoulder and her head lulled back and she fluttered her lids to try and see who was there but the pain burned through her._

_"Holy shit," the salarian voice breathed in horror. "He took the whole thing out...Janix we need medical attention here!"_

_Zharia could never remember how much time had passed after Janix's squad had found her as between blackouts her senses were beyond fuzzy. When she had finally come to she was surrounded by a chaos of noises that confused her senses but she was able to hear two voices clearly over the others._

_"I'm starting to think you had the right idea when you left the STG Mordin." It sounded like Janix but she couldn't be a hundred percent sure in her groggy state._

_"Know I did. Help needed this way now. Can help with guns still; but not necessary right now. What's necessary is clinic here." His tone was fast but the salarian accent was very obvious._

_"Yeah I'm not like you though. I have no talent like that."_

_"Not true. Knew you outside of field; had good heart. You talent was in people. Reminded me of home."_

_"Heh, thanks Mordin."_

_Zharia wanted to open her eyes but as she started moving a gentle hand rested on her shoulder. "Keep eyes closed. Socket not fully healed yet. Will take time before you can open eyes without pain. Suggest having Asari come escort you home."_

_"Y-Yes of course," she said slowly finding her voice in the darkness. It was a strange feeling not being able to see what was going around her or the people she was talking to. The sounds filled her mind and she tried to piece them together like puzzle. There were a lot of voices to sift through and the delicate clink of tools. The smells were musky and pungent but she still couldn't put anything together._

_"Janix?" She was almost certain it was him that she had heard but she couldn't tell._

_"Yes?"_

_"Where am I?"_

_"I took you to Omega," he admitted. "I know it doesn't seem like much but it was the closest place I knew we could find you proper medical help. An old friend of mine runs a clinic here."_

_"Mordin Solus," came the other salarians voice again. His voice was a higher tone than Janix's but still filled with the same kindness she had heard before. "Former STG. Pleasure to meet you."_

_"Thank you," she said to both of them._

_"Of course," Mordin replied first. "How do you feel?"_

_"I seem to be having some trouble seeing doctor," she replied with her voice caked in sarcasm. "And I've got one hell of a headache."_

_Janix couldn't help but laugh at Zharia's brazenness considering her situation. A smile cracked the corner of her mouth and he watched it disappear quickly as pain shocked through her features._

_Mordin smiled. "Good to hear humor still intact." He turned to Janix and nodded formally to his old acquaintance. "Nice to see you again Janix. Must attend to other patients now. Will get assistant to come over and apply bandages. Take care."_

_"You too." Janix reached out to shake Mordin's hand but the salarian had already turned to make his way into other branches of the clinic. They had never been close even when they worked together but Janix knew that Solus was a good soul he could always count on._

_"Would you mind making the call for me?"_

_Janix turned back to Zharia almost forgetting what she had been talking about. "Yes of course."_

_Janix placed his fingers gently on her arm; he was unsure of how to comfort her but hoped the slightly contact would help her feel not so alone in her potentially blind state. The transmission went through the usual screening channels until it final was allowed to reach the councillor._

_"T'Leon," the councillor began. "It is good to see you are alive. Your crew was not terribly hopeful. They had seen you taken by the vorcha and feared the worst."_

_"I cannot say that I would have blamed them," Zharia admitted calmly. Her brow furrowed for a moment but pulled back when pain pulled through her eye. "I must admit I had thought I trained them better than to leave a man behind. I'm surprised they didn't call for help."_

_The silence that followed cloaked Zharia in a sense of worry. "They did."_

_"What?"_

_"T'Leon please understand that it was nothing personal. When you have as much power as I do that means that something being responsible for making the decisions that nobody likes. That sometimes players, no matter how important they are, must be sacrificed for the greater good."_

_"You...left me there?"_

_"Yes," she replied. "It was a very difficult decision especially when we received ...well when we received your eye along with the video transmission telling us to keep out of vorcha business."_

_"Goddess damn you," Zharia snapped out without hesitation. "They sent you my eye and you wouldn't help?!"_

_"There was no guarantee you were alive after that. It wasn't worth the risk to save you."_

_"No but it was worth risking the lives of my entire team to get in bed with the fucking turians."_

_Janix cut the call before it went much farther and Zharia turned her head away from the television as if that would cut out the memory of the sound._

_"T'Leon," Janix began unsure of how to comfort her. "I'm sorry."_

_"Don't be."_

_Her hand wandered up and her fingertips gently brushed the surface of her eye and felt the awkward wrinkles of her eyelid without something to support it. Pain at the tenderness coursed through her head and pounded through her._

_"What will you do now?"_

_"I don't know. I guess we'll see," she replied before mentally cursing her ironic choice of words. "Once I get bandaged up I guess I'll have to do some soul searching. But I think for now I'll stay on Omega until I figure it out."_

_"If you need anything T'Leon you can always call on me," Janix offered sincerely before he bid her good bye and pondered what to do with his own future._

* * *

Shepard's body felt weak and she couldn't help but wish that she could melt into the floor and just let her pain disappear with the air. She couldn't even recall all of the things that Cerberus had pulled from her in the past few days. Had it been days? She had to admit she really had no idea what the passage of time had been or how to count it from in here. One thing she knew for sure was that her hope for escape dwindled with each passing moment. With each moment she grew weaker and Cerberus grew closer to achieving their goal.

The sound of the door grabbed her attention but she couldn't find the strength to pull herself from the floor to see who it was.

"I see you haven't escaped yet."

The grunt meant it as a joke but she couldn't help but feel the sting of insult at the words. It was the same one she remembered speaking to earlier. It wasn't much but she found comfort in his company knowing that he treated her differently than the other soldiers.

"Not the right time," she told him. In truth she wasn't sure how she would pull it off. They made sure to keep her alive enough that she could survive their damned doctor but that she barely had enough energy to move.

"Well I would hurry if I were you."

She heard the fear leak through his teeth and finally found herself able to turn and look at him. She couldn't see his features behind his helmet but his hands were shaking as they placed the tray of food in front of her.

"Why do you want me to win?" She didn't want to tell him but she couldn't promise that if she were faced with an army of Cerberus troops she wouldn't put a shot between his eyes if he were there.

"Because I'm seeing what they're doing. More accurately I can hear it."

"Hear what?"

He looked around cautiously to make sure that none of his crew were around for this. He worried now more than ever that Cerberus' reach had exceeded its grasp. He held out his arm allowing his omnitool to light up and pulled an audio recording from its depths.

_"It's beautiful. And you say we have complete control?"_

_"One hundred percent. I can perform the surgery within the next couple days."_

_"Is that really the soonest you can do?"_

_"It will take a lot of prep. If I can perform it sooner I will but I need to make sure everything is in order."_

_"Of course. I want no mistakes."_

Something banged against glass and the sound that followed next was something heard only in nightmares. A scream erupted but not one of fear. Despite its obscenely high note it promised despair and horror as it echoed and swam through the air.

The grunt cut the transmission and Shepard's blood curdled in fear before she looked at him in pure wide eyed horror.

Slowly stumbling to find her voice she barely managed to ask, "Was...was that a Banshee?"


End file.
